I will Always love Harry Potter
by Hipsterpotamus
Summary: Set in The Order Of The Phoenix, a story about a lost Black-Prewett daughter who is and will Always be in love with Harry Potter. They go through Dementors, The Ministry of Magic, A pink toad Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad, and in the Department of Mysteries with Dumbledore's Army and The Order of the Phoenix, fight You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you see from Harry Potter. This will only be posted at the start of the story. Only Annika is mine, the Godess we all know called Jo Rowling owns everything else. I have just made changes to her book The Order Of The Phoenix.**

I sat there on a bench outside my house reading the Daily Prophet on the hottest day of summer, I am not exaggerating the weather forecast said that this is the hottest day of summer. So I sat there in a crimson tube top and some denim shorts waiting for my mum to come home.

Well, she isn't my real mum, but I don't know who is so Arabella fits the bill. She has cared for me ever since I was eleven and someone took me to a 'Young Witches' orphanage. Mrs Figg adopted me and has cared for me ever since.

The only reason I was sitting outside in the heat is because I know that Harry Potter is hiding in a hydrangea bush outside number four Privet Drive. I occasionally waved and smiled at the hidden boy, but he took no noticed as he lay listening to the news.

Arabella waddled down the drive and took the Daily Prophet out of my hands and walked inside.

"Go be sociable Annika!" She screeched as the door shut behind her.

I sighed and was just about to get up when a loud _crack_ sounded. I leapt up and saw Harry do the same, but whacked his head on the window frame. Vernon ran outside and took Harry by the throat.

"Mr Tibbles!" I screamed as one of mum's cats ran out from under a car. I ran after the cat all the way to the park. I lifted Mr Tibbles up and sat on a swing. I knew that Harry would follow me after Vernon had stopped strangling him.

I swung lightly back and fourth, I know that crack came from someone Apparating or Disapparating! Mr Tibbles purred at my stroke but he jumped off my lap as Harry sat down on the swing next to me.

"Who do you think it was?" He asked

"Honestly, I have no idea, my first guess is Dobby, but he would say hello to his favourite wizard." I joked, in the awkward silence.

"Heard anything unusual from Hermione or Ron?" He asked hopefully.

I shook my head, we were both in the dark about the secret they were all keeping from us.

"Anni, why are you wearing the smallest shorts ever and that excuse for a top?" He laughed

"Are we on the same planet?" I laughed "It's boiling!" Then a group of idiots entered the park. "Oh look the junior heavy weight boxing champ!" I quietly smirked to Harry, he tried to stifle his laugh.

"Let's go Anni, I don't want to get home after Dudley." He sighed

"Okay Harry," I agreed, following him out of the park. We hid in the shade of a huge tree and waited for the gang to leave.

As the gang dispersed we carried on our journey.

"Hey, Big D!" Harry shouted, I sighed, not wanting to start an arguement with the pig.

"Oh, It's you." He grunted but as he saw me the pig started to flirt. Great. Thanks Harry. Really.

"Hey Annika, nice top." he said walking towards me, grinning.

"How long have you been 'Big D'?" Harry asked moving in front of me.

"Shut it Potter, so Annika - " He said getting closer.

"It's a cool name but you'll always be 'Ickle Diddykins' to me." Harry teased

Dudley's face grew crimson. "I said SHUT IT!" His hands turned into fists.

"Do the boys and Ann know what your mum calls you?" Harry had told me many times.

"Shut your face!"

"You don't tell her to shut her face, What about 'Popkin' and 'Dinky Diddydums' can I use them?" Harry egged on. If I was Dudley I would've already punched Harry in the face.

"So who've you been beating up tonight?" Harry asked "Another ten year old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago -"

"He was asking for it" this was the angriest I had ever seen Dudley look.

"Oh yeah?" Harry asked

"He cheeked me."

"Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on it's hind legs? Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true." Harry was obviously letting off all his steam of being kept in the dark.

Dudley's jaw twitched, Harry shouldn't be so happy about how angry he was making Dudley we had turned down this alley between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk, there are no lights down here.

"Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley said. He whispered it to Harry as he didn't know that I went to Hogwarts as well.

"What thing?" I asked, acting oblivious.

"Ann, nothing that concerns you," I know that he's playing along, but he doesn't need to be so rude.

"He's hiding something Annika"

Harry grinned "Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time."

Harry pulled out his wand, pretending to hide it from me.

"You're not allowed, I know you're not. You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to." He said scared

"How d'you know they haven't changed the rules, Big D?"

"They haven't" Dudley said unconvinced. Harry laughed. "You haven't got the gut to take me on without that thing, have you?"

"Whereas you need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old. You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?" Harry laughed

"He was sixteen, for your information and he was out cold for twenty minutes after I'd finished with him and he was twice as heavy as you. You wait till I tell Dad you had that thing out -" Dudley snarled

"Running to Daddy now, are you? Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand?" I pretended not to hear the wand comment.

"Not this brave at night, are you?" Dudley sneered

"This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."

"I mean when you're in bed!" Snapped Dudley.

We all stopped, if only Dudley knew, I want to punch him so much right now.

"What d'you mean, I'm not brave when I'm in bed?" Said Harry "What am I supposed to be frightened of, pillows or something?"

"I heard you last night, talking in your sleep. Moaning." Dudley said

"What d'you mean?" Harry said again. Oh no, if Dudley is talking about Harry revisiting the graveyard, which he does often, then I am going to kill that fat pig.

Dudley laughed and spoke in a high voice "'Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!' Who's Cedric - your boyfriend?" That pig is going to be cooked.

"I - you're lying," said Harry, he knows that Dudley can't have found out any other way.

"'Dad! Help me, Dad! He going to kill me, Dad! Boo hoo!'" Dudley continued, my blood was boiling, as was Harry's.

"Shut up, Dudley, seriously shut up now." I said shaking.

"'Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me! He's going to - ' Don't you point that thing at me!" Dudley screeched backing into the alley wall.

Harry was pointing his wand straight at Dudley's heart. "Harry. Put it down. Now. Please. Harry, please, let's go home. Please Harry, please." I begged tugging at his arm.

"Don't ever talk about that again, D'you understand me?" Harry snarled, shrugging me off.

"Harry - "

"Point that thing somewhere else!" Dudley cried

"I said, do you understand me?"

"Point it somewhere else!" Dudley cried again

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" Harry shouted

"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM - "

"Harry - " I choked at the sudden cold air and pitch darkness. No sounds of cars or trees blowing in the wind. "Harry, it's so cold." I croaked. "Dementors Harry, Dementors."

"D-Dementors? W-What are you d-doing? St-stop it!" Dudley whimpered

"I'm not doing anything! Shut up and don't move!" He answered

"Harry, we need to get out of here. Now." I said, pulling out my wand.

"I c-can't see! I've g-gone blind! I - "

"Shut up!" We said together

"I'll t-tell Dad!" Dudley whimpered "W-where are you? What are you d-do - ?"

"Dudley will you shut up?" I hissed "I'm trying to lis - " The long, hoarse, rattling breaths.

"C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!"

"Dudley shut - "

"Harry! Are you okay?!" I asked after Dudley had punched him in the side of the head. "That moron!"

He scrambled to his feet "DUDLEY, COME BACK! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT AT IT!" There was a chill from behind.

"There is more than one!" I gasped "DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!"

I heard Harry mumble "Wand! Where's - wand - come on - lumos! Anni, save Dudley, I'll get this one!"

I ran over to Dudley as I heard Harry screech "Expecto Patronum!" As I got closer to Dudley it got colder and colder. 'Nice memory, okay... when I received my letter to Hogwarts'

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I shouted as a wisp of silver shot out of my wand. 'Um... when Harry took me on a ride on his Firebolt'

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A larger temporary shield came out. 'When Harry and I kissed last year at the Yule Ball!'

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A corporal rabbit bounced out and the Dementor glided into the sky.

"They're gone now Anni, don't worry, they're gone, all gone, well done." Harry said as I cried into his shoulder and he rubbed my back.

I heard footsteps approaching so we spun round.

I sighed "Mum!" I ran up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Don't put it away, boy! What if there are more of them around? I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!" She shrieked and hugged me.


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" Asked Harry simply

"He left!" Snapped Mum, "Left to see someone about a batch of cauldrons that fell off the back of a broom! I told him I'd flay him alive if he went, and now look! Dementors! It's lucky I put Mr Tibbles on the case! But we haven't got time to stand around! Hurry, now, we've got to get you back! Oh, the trouble this is going to cause! I will kill him!"

"Mum, Mundungus?" I asked

"I'm a Squib! How was I supposed to help you fight off Dementors? He left you completely without cover when I warned him - " Mum mumbled to herself.

"Hang on - it was him! He Disapparated from the front of Harry's house!" I screeched

"Yes, yes, yes, but luckily I'd stationed Mr Tibbles under a car just in case, and Mr Tibbles came and warned me, but by the time I got to your house you'd gone - and now - oh, what's Dumbledore going to say? You!" She shrieked at Dudley, who was still on the alley floor. "Get your fat bottom off the ground, quick!"

"You know Dumbledore?" Harry said blankly.

"Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore? But come on - I'll be no help if they come back, I've never so much as transfigured a teabag." I stooped down and tugged one of Dudley's arms.

"Harry, a little help here. Get up, you useless lump, get up!" We each took one of his arms and dragged him round his shoulders.

"Hurry up! Mum said loudly tottering in front of us. "Keep your wands out!"

"I'm having a long shower when I get home, the pig is sweating buckets!" I laughed

Mum mumbled on "Never mind the Statue of Secrecy now, there's going to be hell to pay anyway, we might as well be hanged for a dragon as an egg. Talk about the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery... this was exactly what Dumbledore was afraid of - what's that at the end of the street? Oh, it's just Mrs Prentice...don't put your wands away, don't I keep telling you I'm no use?"

"Why did you put Mr Tibbles under a car to spy on Harry?" I asked

"Dumbledore's orders, I was to keep an eye on you. When Dumbledore hers about this - how could Mundungus have left, he was supposed to be on duty until midnight - where is he? How am I going to tell Dumbledore what's happened? I can't Apparate." She continued to mumble.

"I've got an owl, you can borrow her." Harry suggested

"Harry, you don't understand! Dumbledore will need to act as quickly as possible, the Ministry have their own ways of detecting underage magic, they'll know already, you mark my words."

"But we were getting rid of Dementors, we had to use magic - they're going to be more worried about what Dementors were doing floating around Wisteria Walk, surely?" I reasoned

"Oh, my dear, I wish it were so, but I'm afraid - MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

There was a loud crack and a strong smell of alcohol and stale tobacco as a squat, unshaved man in a tattered overcoat apparated in front of us. He had short, bandy legs, long straggly ginger hair and baggy, bloodshot eyes that gave him a doleful look. He clutched in his hand a silvery bundle of invisibility cloak.

"Sup Figgy" he said staring at the four of us. "What happened to staying undercover?"

"I'll give you undercover!" Cried mum "Dementors, you useless skiving sneak thief!"

"Dementors? Dementors, 'ere?" Said an aghast Mundungus.

"Yes, here, you worthless pile of bat droppings, here! Dementors attacking these three on your watch!"

"Blimey," said Mundungus weakly, looking from Harry to Mum and back again "Blimey, I - "

"And you off buying stolen cauldrons! Didn't I tell you not to go? Didn't I?"

"I - well, I - It - it was a very good business opportunity, see - "

Mum had already raised her arm which held her string bad, which I knew was filled with cat food, she had whacked him round the neck.

"Ouch - gerroff - gerroff, you mad old bat! Someone's gotta tell Dumbledore!"

"Yes - they - have!" Yelled mum, still swinging the bag of tinned cat food at Mundungus "And - it - had - better - be - you - and - you - can - tell - him - why - you - weren't - there - to - help!"

"Keep your 'airnet on! I'm going! I'm going!" Said a cowering Mundungus Disapparating.

"I hope Dumbledore murders him! Now come on, what are you waiting for? I'll take you to the door just in case there are more of them around... oh and my word, what a catastrophe... and you had to fight them off yourselves... and Dumbledore said we were to keep you from doing magic at all costs... well, it's no good now crying over spilt potion, I suppose... but the cat's among the pixies now."

"So Dumbledore's... been having... me followed?" Harry enquired

"Of course he has. Did you expect him to let you wander around on your own after what happened in June? Good Lord, boy, Annika told me you were intelligent... right... get inside and stay there. I expect someone will be in touch with you soon enough Harry, you stay with him Annika."

"What are you going to do?" I asked quickly

"I'm going straight home darling, I'll need to wait for more instructions. Just stay in the house. Goodnight." Mum replied.

"Hang on, don't go yet! I want to know - " Mum had already set off "Wait!"

"Looks like you're sleeping over, your mum definitely trusts me." Harry grinned, we put our wands away and I rang the bell.

"At least your aunt doesn't think I'm a freak, otherwise I wouldn't be staying." I retorted

"Diddy! And Annika... about time too, I was getting quite - quite - Diddy, what's the matter?" Petunia said in her high pitched voice. Dudley then vomited on the doormat... "DIDDY! Diddy, what's the matter with you? Vernon? VERNON!"

Vernon galloped outside avoiding the sick and helped him in.

"He's ill, Vernon!"

"What is it, son? What's happened? Did Mrs Polkiss give you something foreign for tea?"

"Why are you all covered in dirt, darling? Have you been lying on the ground?"

"Hang on - you haven't been mugged, have you, son?"

Petunia screamed "Phone the police, Vernon! Phone the police! Diddy, darling speak to Mummy! What did they do to you?"

We quickly and quietly walked past the group towards the stairs.

"Who did it, son? Give us names. We'll get them, don't worry."

"Shh! He's trying to tell us something, Vernon! What is it, Diddy? Tell Mummy!"

I was half way up the stairs, heart thumping in my chest.

"Him." We froze braced for the inevitable explosion.

"BOY! COME HERE!"

"Annika, I see you are staying over, come upstairs with me, we will set you up a bed in Harry's room." She said with a fake smile. She showed me to the cupboard with the bed set in and excused herself to go and see 'Popkins'.

As I set up my bed Beatrice, my cat, had climbed up to Harry's window, she passed me a note and my bottomless, weightless bag Hermione had charmed for me.

The note said 'Wait for instructions, stay with Harry. Love Mum xxx'

I opened my bag to find all of my belongings... I krept downstairs and into the kitchen, then I hid behind a sofa and listened.

"OWLS! OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE OWLS IN MY HOUSE!" Vernon bellowed. After a long wait he shouted again "Where d'you think you're going? I haven't finished with you boy!"

I faintly heard "Get out of the way" coming from Harry

"You're going to stay here and explain how my son - "

"If you don't get out of the way I'm going to jinx you." Said Harry

"You can't pull that one on me! I know you're not allowed to use it outside that madhouse you call a school!" Vernon snarled.

"The madhouse chucked me out," I gasped and quickly stuffed my hand over my mouth. "So I can do whatever I like. You've got three seconds. One - two - "

An owl hit the window near me in the kitchen. Harry ran in and collected the scroll from the owl, oblivious to me hiding there.

"Right. I've changed my mind. I'm staying." I sighed relieved.

"Who are all these ruddy owls from?" Vernon growled I digged deeper into the sofa cushions knowing that I was hiding in plain sight now.

"The first one was from the Ministry of Magic, expelling me. The second one was from my friend Ron's dad, who works at the ministry."

Arthur is on it, that makes me feel better, the Weasleys are like family.

"Ministry of Magic? People like you in government? Oh, this explains everything, everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs. And why have you been expelled?" Vernon said boiling

"Because I did magic"

"AHA! So you admit it! What did you do to Dudley?"

"Nothing, That wasn't me - "

"Was" Dudley mumbled

"Go on, son. What did he do?" Vernon persisted

"Tell us, darling" whispered Petunia

"Pointed his wand at me" came the reply

"Yeah, I did, but I didn't use - " explained Harry

"SHUT UP!" Shouted Vernon and Petunia in unison.

"Go on" Vernon repeated

A shuddering Dudley said hoarsely "All went dark, everything dark. And then I h-heard... things. Inside m-my head"

"What sort of things did you hear, Popkin?" Petunia asked warily. Dudley answered with a shudder.

"How come you fell over, son?" Vernon asked

"T-tripped. And then - Horrible. Cold. Really cold." He replied slowly patting his chest and shivering.

"Ok. What happened then, Dudders?" Vernon said.

"Felt... felt... felt... as if... as if..."

"As if you'd never be happy again." Harry finished

"So. You put some crackpot spell on my son so he'd hear voices and believe he was - was doomed to misery, or something, did you?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? It wasn't me! It was a couple of Dementors!" Harry's voice rose.

"A couple of - what's this codswallop?"

"De - men - tors, two of them" he said slowly and clearly.

"What the ruddy hell are Dementors?"

"They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban." Said Petunia, both she and I slapped a hand over our mouths.

"How d'you know that?" Harry asked, astonished

"I heard - that awful boy - telling her about them - years ago" she stumbled.

"If you mean my mum and dad, why don't you use their names?" Harry spoke loudly.

"So - so - they - er - they - er - they actually exist, do they - er - Dementy-whatsits?" Vernon croaked

Another owl crashed onto the table.

"Enough - effing - owls," muttered Vernon "Well? What now? Have they sentenced you to anything? Do your lot have the death penalty?" Vernon said

"I've got to go to a hearing" Harry said tonelessly

"And they'll sentence you there?" Vernon asked

"I suppose so." Harry answered

"I won't give up hope, then" Vernon snarled

"Well, if that's all." Harry said getting up.

"NO, IT RUDDY WELL IS NOT ALL!" Bellowed Vernon "SIT BACK DOWN!"

"What now?" Harry said impatiently.

"DUDLEY! I want to know exactly what happened to my son!" Roared Vernon

"FINE!" Yelled Harry "Dudley and I were in the alley way between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk." Thank God he didn't mention me. "Dudley thought he'd be smart with me, I pulled out my wand but didn't use it. Then two Dementors turned up - "

"Buy what are Dementoids? What do they DO?"

"I told you - they suck all the happiness out of you and if they get the chance, they kiss you - "

"Kiss you? Kiss you?"

"It's what they call it when they suck the soul out of your mouth."

Petunia screamed lightly "His soul? They didn't take - he's still got his - "

"Of course they didn't get his soul, you'd know if they had"

"Fought 'em off, did you, son? Gave 'em the old one-two, did you?"

Harry clenched his teeth "You can't give a Dementor the old one-two"

"Why's he all right, then? Why isn't he all empty, then?" Vernon blustered

"Because I used the Patronus - "

An owl clattered down the kitchen fireplace.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE! I WILL NOT HAVE OWLS HERE, I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS, I TEL YOU!" Roared Vernon. " - a peck, I mean, a pack of owls shooting in and out of my house. I won't have it, boy, I won't - "

"I can't stop the owls coming" Harry snapped and crumpled the letter in his fist, dropping it to the floor. I snatched it up and read.

'Arthur has just told us what's happened. Don't leave the house again, whatever you do.' In Sirius's scrawl.

"I want the truth about what happened tonight! If it was Dementors who hurt Dudley, how come you've been expelled? You did you-know-what, you've admitted it!"

Harry took a few breaths "I did the Patronus charm to get rid of the Dementors. It's the only thing that works against them."

An outraged Vernon said "But what were Dementoids doing in Little Whinging?"

"Couldn't tell you, no idea," Harry said weakly

"It's you. It's got something to do with you, boy, I know it. Why else would they turn up here? Why would that be down the alleyway? You've got to be the only - the only - the only you-know-what for miles," I stifled my chortle at Vernon's remark.

"I don't know why they were here." Harry said sincerely.

"These Demembers guard some weirdo prison?" Asked Vernon

"Yes." Harry said

"Oho! They were coming to arrest you! That's it, isn't it, boy? You're on the run from the law!" Vernon triumphed

"Of course I'm not." Harry shook his head

"Then why - ?"

"He must have sent them." Said Harry to himself I kept in my gasp.

"What's that? Who must have sent them?"

"Lord Voldemort" I flinched at the name.

Vernon thought for a while. "Lord - hang on, I've heard that name... that was the one who - "

"Murdered my parents, yes," Harry answered

Vernon said impatiently "But he's gone, that giant bloke said so. He's gone."

"He's back." Said Harry heavily

Petunia whispered "Back?"

Harry looked directly at Petunia "Yes. He came back a month ago. I saw him."

"Hang on. Hang on. This Lord Voldything's back, you say?" A dazed Vernon said

"Yes."

"The one who murdered your parents."

"Yes."

"And now he's sending Dismembers after you?"

"Looks like it." Harry admitted

"I see. Well, that settles it. You can get out of this house, boy!" Vernon shouted

"What?" Said Harry

"You heard me - OUT! OUT! OUT! I should've done this years ago! Owls treating the place like a rest home, pudding exploding, half the lounge destroyed, Dudley's tail, Marge bobbing around on the ceiling and that flying Ford Anglia - OUT! OUT! You've had it! You're history! You're not staying here if some loony's after you, you're not endangering my wife and son, you're not bringing trouble down on us. If your going the same way as your useless parents, I've had it! OUT!" Vernon bellowed

I quietly scooped up all the letters from the Ministry and Sirius, trying to get Harry's attention to not leave the house!

Vernon blundered "You heard me! Get going! You were all keen to leave half an hour ago! I'm right behind you! Get out and never darken our doorstep again! Why we ever kept you in the first place, I don't know. Marge was right, it should have been the orphanage. We were too damn soft for our own good, thought we could squash it out of you, thought we could turn you normal, but you've been rotten from the beginning and I've had enough - owls!"

A fifth owl zoomed down the chimney, it flew at Petunia.

"You can open it if you like, but I'll hear what it says anyway. That's a Howler." Harry smirked

"Let go of it, Petunia! Don't touch it, it could be dangerous!" Vernon roared

"It's addressed to me, Vernon, look! Mrs Petunia Dursley, the Kitchen, Number Four Privet Drive - "

The Howler had started to smoke.

"Open it! Get it over with! It'll happen anyway." Harry urged her

"No."

The Howler burst into flames.

"REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA."

"What is this? What - I don't - Petunia?" A hoarse Vernon said "Petunia, dear? P-Petunia?"

"The boy - the boy will have to stay, Vernon"

"W-what?" He trembled

"He stays" she swallowed

"He... but Petunia..."

"If we throw him out, the neighbours will talk. They'll ask questions, they'll want to know where he's gone. We'll have to keep him."

"But Petunia, dear - "

"You're to stay in your room. You're not to leave the house. Now get to bed." She said to Harry

"Who was the Howler from?" Harry asked bluntly

"Don't ask questions." She snapped

"Are you in touch with wizards?" Harry asked

"I told you to get to bed!"

"What did it mean? Remember the last what?"

"Go to bed!" I quietly krept out of the kitchen to Harry's room

I heard Harry ask "How come - ?"

"YOU HEARD YOUR AUNT, NOW GO UP TO BED!"


	3. Chapter 3

'We've just been attacked by Dementors and Harry might be expelled from Hogwarts. We want to know what's going on and when we're going to get out of here.'

I copied this onto three other pieces of parchment the moment we were both upstairs. We decided to send one to Sirius, one to Hermione and one to the Weasleys, or more specifically the twins and Ron.

As we waited for Hedwig to come back I sat on Harry's bed and hugged him for a long time. I know that his brain would be too busy for sleep, his eyes will sting and itch with tiredness as mine are. And, as mine did, his back would ache after hauling the pig home. Then again, I didn't hit my head on a window or have my head connect with the pig's fist.

I let him fall asleep and when Hedwig arrived I gave her Harry's orders.

"Okay Hedwig, these letters need to go to Sirius, Hermione and Ron. Scratch that not Ron, otherwise Molly will find it, she cares too much, the last one can go to the twins or Ginny, Okay? Harry's orders are to not cone back without good long answers, Okay girl? Keep pecking them until they've written decent length replies if necessary. Understand?" I patted the owl and sent her off with her half finished frog.

I got changed and curled up next to Harry in his bed.

In the morning, well midday, when I woke up. Harry was changed and eating some food that had been stuffed through the cat flap Vernon put there three years ago.

Hedwig had not returned.

Mum had just send us food and the Daily Prophet every morning for three days. That is how long we stayed in Harry's room, we only left to go to the bathroom.

We mostly talked of the Ministry sentence and events that happened on the night of the Dementor attack.

On the fourth night Mum had sent a nite with Mr Tibbles saying 'Get ready xxx'

Vernon came up the stairs, so I hid in Harry's wardrobe.

"We're going out." Vernon said

"Sorry?" Came Harry's reply

"We - that is to say, your aunt, Dudley and I - are going out."

"Fine."

"You are not to leave your bedroom while we are away."

"Ok"

"You are not to touch the television, the stereo, or any of our possessions."

"Right"

"You are not to steal food from the fridge."

"Ok."

"I am going to lock your door."

"You do that."

I heard the door close and I came out from his wardrobe, he was on his bed staring at the ceiling so I lay on top of him and kissed him. For the first time in four days he smiled, mission successful.

I then fell off his bed as there was a huge crash below.

Harry bolted upright and grabbed his wand, even though I was the one who was allowed to do magic, but mine was under Beatrice who did not want to move.

"B, move!" I hissed

"Shh!" Harry whispered.

The lock on his door gave a click and opened. I could see about nine people standing there.

"Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out," growled a voice.

"Professor Moody?" Harry asked

"I don't know so much about 'Professor' never got round to any teaching, did I? Get down here, we want to see you properly." The voice growled.

"It's all right, Harry. We've come to take you away."

"Remus!" I shouted running down the stairs and over to the silhouette and hugging it.

"Why are we all standing in the dark? Lumos" said a female voice "Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would! Wotcher, Harry! Wotcher Annika!"

"Yeah, I see what you mean, Remus, he looks exactly like James." Said a tall, bald wizard at the back.

"Except the eyes, Lily's eyes." Wheezed another voice.

Moody spoke again "Are you sure it's him, Lupin? It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone bought any Veritaserum?"

"Harry, what form does your Patronus take?" Remus asked

"A stag," Harry said nervously

"That's him, Mad-Eye," said Remus

"So you guys are gonna trust that I'm not a Death Eater?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Your right, Annie, what is your father's name?" Remus asked

I stared at him, only three people knew his name, Molly, Remus and I. Remus found out accidently by overhearing a conversation I had with Molly. I came up to him and whispered "Gideon Prewett"

He patted me on the back and said "It's her Mad-Eye, it's our Anna alright."

I walked back to Harry and hugged him while crying. It isn't that I didn't trust him, I just didn't want people to know.

The female witch took my hand and took me to the kitchen so Remus and Harry could talk.

The witch explained that she had sent a fake competition short-list to the Dursleys, what everyone's name was and what was happening.

"Now you can explain to Harry, he trusts you more." Tonks said

As Harry walked in I led him round the room to meet everyone, Dedalus Doge and Harry had already met. He and Moody then talked while Tonks and I went upstairs to pack.

The room was covered in mess, half of it Harry's and half of it mine. As I picked up Beatrice, Tonks snatched her out of my hands.

"Oh you have a cat! What's it's name?"

"Beatrice, well B for short. Mum has tons of cats." I laughed picking up my wand and brushing off the cat hair.

"Oh yeah, you're Arabella's adopted daughter! So you can use magic!" She squealed

"Yep - pack!" I said and all my belongings neatly went into my bag.

"My mum taught me that spell, I can never get it right - pack!" All Harry's belongings went into his trunk, rather messily. "But I bet you can't do this!" She said as her hair turned pink.

"You're metamorphmagus! It looked much better violet though, maybe a shade darker, a bit shorter, and curly." I advised

She gave it a try and then carried on stroking my cat.

"Scourgify!" I said pointing at the mess of cat hairs on my bed, and feathers and droppings in Hedwig's cage. Tonks looked in wonder "I had to learn the household spells to help mum." I explained.

Then I picked up Harry's cauldron and broomstick and stuffed them in my bottomless bag.

"You have a Firebolt!" She moaned

"It's not mine! It's Harry's!" I laughed, "I have a Nimbus 2000,"

"Still better than a Comet Two Sixty!" She grumbled. "Locomotor Trunk!" She called at Harry's trunk, I carried my bottomless, weightless bag and we went downstairs, as soon as I stepped in the kitchen Remus smashed what felt like an egg on my head.

"REMUS LUPIN!" I shouted

"It's a Disillusion Charm!" Harry explained holding me back from attacking the werewolf. He turned me round and gave me a kiss on the nose and then lulled me outside after I had the honour of Disillusioning Harry, Remus, Tonks, and even Mad-Eye.

Moody gave a very discouraging speech then we mounted our brooms and began to fly.

When we couldn't see Privet Drive anymore B meowed loudly so I did multiple loop-d-loops until Kingsley told me off.

Mad-Eye suggested that we fly through a cloud, I was freezing, but I hadn't flown in ages so I didn't care, Tonks stopped us and I swear I heard Harry breath a sigh of relief. Soon we descended and landed.

Mad-Eye clicked a cigarette lighter thing and the nearest street light went out, he did this multiple times until it was pitch black.

We walked down an alley and Mad-Eye passed both me and Harry some parchment.

"Read quickly and memorise"

It said 'Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmaud Place, London.'


	4. Chapter 4

"What's the Order of the - ?" I began

"Not here, girl! Wait till we're inside!" Mad-Eye snarled and pulled the parchment out of our hands and set them on fire.

"But where's - ?"

"Think about what you just memorised," said Remus quietly

I was so shocked, a house just appeared inbetween number eleven and thirteen. Mad-Eye prodded Harry in the back, I held his hand and walked up to the door.

Remus tapped the door with his wand and a few seconds later the door creaked open. "Get in quick, but don't go far inside and don't touch anything." He whispered

We stepped through the door frame into a derelict, dusty, rotting corridor, everyone filed in behind us. Mad-Eye released the lights back again and closed the door.

"Here - " He tapped Harry and I on the head with his wand, undoing the Disillusion Charm. "Now stay still, everyone, while I give us a bit of light in here."

Old gas lamps along the wall hissed and spluttered into life showing peeling wallpaper and a long, gloomy hallway covered in threadbare carpet. As well as a chandelier covered in cobwebs and blackened portraits, crooked on the walls.

Fast footsteps got louder as Molly beamed and pulled me into a hug "Anna, my dear, food will be ready soon, my love, Oh, Harry, it's lovely to see you! You're looking a bit peaky; you need feeding up, but you'll have to wait a bit for dinner, I'm afraid." She turned to the others "He's just arrived, the meeting's started."

We tried to follow Remus through the door but Molly stopped us.

"No, the meeting's only for members of the Order. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins are upstairs, you can wait with them. Then we'll have dinner, and keep your voice down in the hall." She whispered.

"Why?" I asked

"I don't want anything to wake up."

"What d'you - ?"

"I'll explain later, I've got to hurry and be in that meeting - I'll just show you where you're sleeping." She shushed us and tiptoed past long curtains, umbrella stands and shrunken house-elve's heads.

"Mrs Weasley, why - ?"

"Ron and Hermione will explain everything dears, I really must dash. There on your right." She hurried downstairs.

I opened the door and Hermione knocked me over onto Harry with a hug.

"ANNI! HARRY! Ron, they're here, they're here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you alright? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless - but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got things to tell us - the Dementors! When we heard - and the Ministry hearing - it's just outrageous, I've looked it all up, they can't expel Harry, they just can't, there's provision in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life threatening situations - "

"Let them breathe, Hermione," said Ron grinning as he closed the door

"Hedwig!" Harry cried I laughed as B and Crookshanks started to eye each other up and Hedwig nipped at Pigwidgeon.

"She's been in a right state, pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this - " Ron said showing his deep cut on his index finger.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that, but we wanted answers, you know - "

"We wanted to give them to you, Hermione was going spare, she kept saying you'd do something stupid if you were both on your own without news, but Dumbledore made us - "

"Swear not to tell us, yeah, Hermione's already said." I scowled

"He seemed to think it was best, Dumbledore, I mean." Said Hermione

"Right," said Harry looking at her hands.

"I think he though you were safest with the Muggles - " Ron started

"Yeah?" I said "Have either of you been attacked by Dementors this summer?"

"Well, no - but that's why he's had people from the Order of the Phoenix tailing Harry all the time."

"Didn't work that well, though, did it?" Said Harry "Had to look after ourselves after all, didn't we?"

"He was so angry, Dumbledore, when we saw him, when he found out Mundungus had left before his shift had ended. He was scary." Hermione said

"Well, I'm glad he left, if he hadn't, we wouldn't have done magic and Dumbledore probably would've left us at Privet Drive all summer." Harry said coldly

"Aren't you... aren't you worried about the Ministry of Magic hearing?" Said Hermione quietly

"No." Harry said, I could tell he was lying "So why's Dumbledore been so keen to keep us in the dark? Did you - er - bother to ask him at all?" Harry asked

"We told Dumbledore we wanted to tell you what was going on, we did. But he's really busy now, we've only seen him twice since we came here and he didn't have much time, he just made us swear not to tell you important stuff when we wrote, he said the owls might be intercepted." Said Ron

"He could still've kept us informed if he wanted to. You're not telling me he doesn't know ways to send messages without owls." Harry shortly said.

Hermione explained "I thought that, too. But he didn't want you to know anything."

"Maybe he thinks I can't be trusted" said Harry

"Harry, don't be stupid," I laughed

"Or that I can't take care of myself."

"Harry, of course he doesn't think that!" I said

"So how come we have to stay at the Dursleys' while you two get to join in everything that's going on here?" Harry said, his voice rising "How come you two are allowed to know everything that's going on?"

"We're not! Mum won't let us near the meetings, she says we're too young - " Ron said

"My own Mum didn't tell me a thing about anything." I mumbled

Harry began to shout "SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! WE HAVE BEEN STUCK IN PRIVET DRIVE FOR A MONTH! AND WE'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO'VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT - WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM DEMENTORS? WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME AND ANNI!"

Hermione was on the verge of tears.

"BUT WHY SHOULD WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL US WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?"

"Harry, we wanted to tell you, we really did - " Hermione started

"CAN'T'VE WANTED TO THAT MUCH, CAN YOU, OR YOU'D HAVE SENT US AN OWL, BUT DUMBLEDORE MADE YOU SWEAR - "

"Well, he did - "

"FOUR WEEKS WE'VE BEEN STUCK IN PRIVET DRIVE, USING PAPERS TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON - "

"We wanted to - "

"I SUPPOSE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A REAL LAUGH, HAVEN'T YOU, ALL HOLED UP HERE TOGETHER - "

"No, honest - "

"Harry, Ann, we're really sorry!" Hermione said with tears in her eyes "You're absolutely right - I'd be furious if it was me!"

"What is this place anyway?" I asked Ron, I don't think Hermione could handle much more interrogation.

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix." Ron said instantly, looking for my approval, it was no secret that I found Ron terribly annoying.

"Is anyone gonna bother telling us what the Order of the Phoenix - ?" I was interrupted

"It's a secret society, Dumbledore's in charge, he founded it. It's the people that fought against You-Know-Who last time." Hermione answered

"Who's in it?" I asked, keeping Harry from asking anything

"Quite a few people - "

"We've met about twenty of them, but we think there are more." Ron finished hopefully.

"Well?" Harry glared

"Er, well what?" Ron

"Voldemort?" Harry snapped Hermione, Ron and I flinched "What's happening? What's he up to? Where is he? What are we doing to stop him?"

"We've told you, the Order don't let us in on their meetings. So we don't know the details - but we've got a general idea," Hermione said nervously

"Fred and George have invented Extendable Ears, see they're really useful." Ron said

"Extendable - ?" I asked

"Ears, yeah. Only we've had to stop using them lately because Mum found out and went beserk. Fred and George had to hide them all to stop Mum from binning them. But we got a good bit of use out of them before Mum realised what was going on. We know some of the Order are following known Death Eaters, keeping tabs on them, you know - " Ron explained

"Some of them are recruiting more people to the Order - " said Hermione

"And some of them are standing guard over something. They're always talking about guard duty." Ron said

"Couldn't have been Harry, could it?" I said sarcastically

"Oh, yeah," as the idea dawned on Ron

Harry and I both snorted.

"What have you two been doing, if you're not allowed in meetings? You said you'd been busy." Harry said

"We have. We've been decontaminating this house, it's been empty for ages and stuff's been breeding in here. We've managed to clean out the kitchen, most of the bedrooms and I think we're doing the drawing room tomo - AARGH!" Hermione screamed

With two cracks my favourite Red heads apparated into the room.

"Stop doing that!" Hermione said

"Hello Harry, we thought we heard your dulect tones ." Said George

"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out. There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you." Fred joked

"You two passed your Apparation tests then?" I mumbled

"Anni! We thought that Harry would hide you away all for himself!" Fred shouted

"We all know that you are secretly ours though" George grinned as they pulled me into a hug.

"It would've taken you thirty more seconds to walk up the stairs," Ron said

"Time is Galleons, little brother." Fred said "Anyway Harry, you're interfering with reception. Extendable Ears. We're trying to hear what's going on downstairs."

"You need to be careful, if Mum sees you with one of them again..." Ron warned

"It's worth the risk, that's a major meeting they're having." Said George.

"Oh, hello, Harry, Anni! I thought I heard Harry's voice." Ginny said "It's a no go on the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."

"How'd you know?" Fred said sadly

"Tonks told me how to find out, you just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the doors been Imperturbed. I've been flicking dungbomb's at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap."

George sighed

"Shane. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to." Fred said

"Snape! Is he here?" Harry asked

"Yeah. Giving a report. Top secret." George said

"Git." Said an idle Fred

"He's on our side now." Said Hermione

"Doesn't stop him being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us." Ron snorted

"Bill doesn't like him, either." Ginny said proudly

"Is Bill here? I thought he was working in Egypt?" I asked

"Applied for a desk job so he could come and work for the Order. He says he misses the tombs, but, there are compensations." Fred smirked, he sat down and pulled me onto his lap.

"What d'you mean?" I asked, trying to get up

"Remember old Fleur Delacour?" George sat down next to Fred and pulled me onto his lap instead. "She's got a job at Gringotts to eemprove 'er Eeenglish - "

"And Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons," sniggered Fred, they placed me in the middle of them

"Charlie's in the Order, too, but he's still in Romania. Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contact on his days off."

"Couldn't Percy do that?" Harry asked

Everyone grew silent and Fred and George had stopped pulling me down, so I fell of the bed. Harry helped me up and I sat on his lap instead.

"Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad," Ron said

"Why not?" He asked

"Because every time Percy's name's mentioned, Dad breaks whatever he's holding and Mum starts crying," said Fred

"It's been awful." Ginny said sadly

"I think we're well shot of him." George said

"What happened?" Asked Harry

"Percy and Dad had a row. I've never seen Dad row with anyone like that. It's normally Mum who shouts." Fred said.

"It was the first week back after term ended. We were about to come and join the Order. Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted." Ron said

"You're kidding?" Harry said

"Yeah, we were all surprised because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an enquiry and everything. They said Percy ought to have realised Crouch was off his rocker and informed a superior. But you know Percy, Crouch left him in charge, he wasn't going to complain." George said

"So how come they promoted him?" Harry asked as I fidgeted on his lap.

"That's exactly what we wondered. He came home really pleased with himself - even more pleased than usual, if you can imagine that - and told Dad he'd been offered a position in Fudge's own office. A really good one for someone only a year out of Hogwarts: Junior Assistant to the Minister. He expected Dad to be all impressed, I think." Ron explained

"Only Dad wasn't," said Fred grimly. I got off Harry's lap and sat on the floor stroking both B and Crookshanks at the same time.

"Why not?" Harry asked

George answered "Well, apparently Fudge has been storming round the Ministry checking that nobody's having any contact with Dumbledore,"

Fred continued "Dumbledore's name is mud with the Ministry these days, see. They all think he's just making trouble saying You-Know-Who's back."

"Dad says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in League with Dumbledore can clear out their desks," said George

"Trouble is, Fudge suspects Dad, he knows he's friendly with Dumbledore, and he's always thought Dad's a bit of a weirdo because of his muggle obsession." Fred finished

"But what's that got to do with Percy?" A confused Harry asked

"I'm coming to that. Dad reckons Fudge only wants Percy in his office because he wants to use him to spy on the family - and Dumbledore." explained George

Harry let out a low whistle "Bet Percy loved that."

Ron hollowly laughed "He went completely beserk. He said - well, he said loads of terrible stuff. He said he's been having to struggle against Dad's lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry and that Dad's got no ambition and that's why we've always been - you know - not had a lot of money, I mean - "

"What?" Harry and I said in disbelief, Ginny made a noise like an angry cat.

Ron said "I know. And it got worse. He said Dad was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble and Dad was going to go down with him, and that he - Percy - knew where his loyalty lay and it was with the Ministry. And if Mum and Dad were going to become traitors to the Ministry he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to our family anymore. And he packed his bags the same night and left. He's living in London now."

Harry swore under his breath, I swore loudly. I heard Fred mutter light heartedly "A proper Weasley."

"Mum's been in a right state. You know - crying and stuff. She came up to London to try and talk to Percy but he slammed the door in her face. I dunno what he does if he meets Dad at work - ignores him, I s'pose." Ron said

"But Percy must know Voldemort's back," Everyone flinched at Harry's words "He's not stupid, he must know your Mum and Dad wouldn't risk everything without proof."

"Yeah,well, you name got dragged i to the row, Percy said the only evidence was your word and... I dunno... he didn't think it was good enough." Ron said

"Percy takes the Daily Prophet seriously" Hermione said nodding

"What are you all talking about?" I asked

"Haven't you - haven't you been getting the Daily Prophet?" Hermione asked

"Yeah, I have!" I said defensively

"Have you - er - been reading it thoroughly?" Hermione asked nervously

"No, Mum keeps taking it off me..." I grumbled

"Well, you need to read it cover to cover to pick it up, but they - um - they mentioned Harry a couple of times a week." She hurried

"But we'd have seen - "

"Not if you've only been reading a little you wouldn't. I'm not talking about big articles. They just slip him in, like he's a standing joke." She shook her head

"What d'you - ?"

"It's quite nasty, actually. They're just building on Rita's stuff."

"But she's not writing for them anymore, is she?" I asked anxiously

"Oh, no, she's kept her promise - not that she's got any choice," Hermione and I shared a smirk "But she laid the foundation for what they're trying to do now."

"Which is what?" I said impatiently

"Ok, you know she wrote that you were collapsing all over the place and saying your scar was hurting and all that?"

"Yeah..." We wouldn't forget those stories in a hurry...

Hermione carried on "Well, they're writing about Harry as though he's a deluded, attention seeking person who thinks he's a great tragic hero or something. They keep slipping in snide comments about Harry. If some far fetched story appears, they say something like, 'A tale worthy of Harry Potter' and if anyone has a funny accident or anything it's 'Let's hope he hasn't got a scar on his forehead or we'll be asked to worship him next' - "

"I don't want anyone to worship - " Harry began

"We know you don't," I said placing my hand on his leg.

"We know, Harry. But you see what they're doing? They want to turn you into someone nobody will believe. Fudge is behind it, I'll bet anything. They want wizards on the street to think you're just some stupid boy who's a bit of a joke, who tells ridiculous tall stories because he lives being famous and wants to keep it going." Hermione explained

"I didn't ask - I didn't want - Voldemort killed my parents!" Harry spluttered as we flinched at the sound of the name. "I got famous because he murdered my family buy couldn't kill me! Who wants to be famous for that? Don't they think I'd rather it'd never - " during his rant I had came up behind him and bent over.

"We know, Harry" I said kissing him on the nose

Fred and George looked broken hearted as Hermione began "And of course, they didn't report a word about the Dementor attacking you two. Someone's told them to keep that quiet. That should've been a really big story, out-of-control Dementors. They haven't even reported that you both broke the International Statue of Secrecy. We thought they would, it would tie in so well with this image of you as some stupid show off. We think they're biding they're time until you're expelled, then they're really going to go to town - I mean, if your expelled, obviously. You really shouldn't be, not if they abide by their own laws, there's no case against you." Hermione dug the hole deeper

"Uh oh," Fred tugged at the Extendable Ear and Disapparated.

Seconds later Molly was at the door "The meeting's over, you can come down and have dinner now. Everybody's dying to see you both. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"

"Crookshanks, he loves playing with them." Ginny lied, I winked at her

"Oh, I thought it might have been Kreacher, he keeps doing odd things like that. Now don't forget to keep your voices down in the hall. Ginny, your hands are filthy, what have you been doing? Go and wash them before dinner, please." They both left the room.

"Look..." Harry muttered, as Ron shook his head.

"We knew you'd be angry, Harry, we really don't blame you, but you've got to understand, we did try to persuade Dumbledore - " Hermione said.

"Yeah, I know." He said

"Yay! The trio have made up! Now, who is Kreacher?" I asked

"The house-elf who lives here. Nutter. Never met one like him." Ron said

"He's not a nutter, Ron." Hermione said

"His life ambition is to have his head cut off and stuck up on a plaque just like his mother. Is that normal l, Hermione?" Ron said annoyed

"Well - well, if he is a bit strange, it's not his fault." She defended

Ron rolled his eyes "She still hasn't given up on Spew"

"It's not Spew! It's the Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare. And it's not just me, Dumbledore says we should be kind to Kreacher too." She retorted

"Yeah, yeah, c'mon, I'm starving." Ron said before we walked out the door to the top of the stairs. "Hold it! They're still in the hall, we might be able to hear something."

"Dammit" I heard Fred say as the group walked out the door

"Snape never eats here. Thank God, C'mon." Ron told us.

"And don't forget to keep your voice down in the hall." Hermione added

Molly said as we got down the stairs "We're eating down in the kitchen, Anni, dear, if you'll just tiptoe across the hall it's just though this door here - "

'CRASH'

"Tonks!" Molly cried

"I'm sorry. It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over - " Tonks wailed

A horrid, ear-splitting, blood-curdling screech sounded out. It came from a portrait of a woman.

Remus and Molly tried to close the curtains.

"FILTH! SCUM! BY PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS! HALF BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAKS, BEGONE THIS PLACE! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS - " It screamed

Tonks kept apologising and picked up the umbrella stand, Molly ran down the corridor stunning the portraits and a long haired man charged out of a door.

"Shut up, you horrible old hag, shut UP!" He roared

"YOOOOU! BLOOD TRAITOR, ABOMINATION, SHAME OF MY FLESH! AND YOU!" She howled turning to me "THAT STUPID GIRL! YOUR STUPID MOTHER! HER ONE FLAW! YOOOOU AND THAT MAN!"

Molly ran over to my side.

"I said - shut - UP!" Roared the man, he managed to force the curtains shut.

I sobbed on Molly's top as she held me close. Remus knows who my father was, Sirius knows who my mother is, but Molly, she knows who both of them are.

I cried and cried, she whispered in my ear "I know, ignore that beastly woman. Calm down dear, it's not your fault, you can't pick your family dear, don't worry, let it out."

The screeches died down and all that broke the silence was my crying and the panting long haired man saying "Hello you two, I see you've met my mother." I recognised the voice at once as Harry's godfather Sirius.


	5. Chapter 5

"Your - ?" Harry asked

"My dear old mum, yeah. We've been trying to get her down for a month but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Let's go downstairs, quick, before they all wake up again." Sirius explained as my sobs died away.

"But what's a portrait of your mother doing here?" I asked annoyed

"Hasn't anybody told you? This was my parent's house, but I'm the last Black left, so it's mine now. I offered it to Dumbledore for Headquarters - about the only useful thing I've been able to do." He said bitterly

Harry followed his godfather down the stairs to the kitchen, I held Harry's hand tightly for support. Arthur and Bill stood at the end of the table, heads down talking quietly. Molly cleared her throat and Arthur jumped to his feet.

"Harry! Anna! Good to see you!" He shook Harry's hand and pulled me into a hug.

Bill rolled up some parchment and called "Journey all right? Mad-Eye didn't make you come via Greenland then?"

"He tried" Tonks said helping Bill, but setting the last parchment on fire. I laughed at the remark but stopped when the candle fell over. "Oh no - sorry - "

"Here, dear," Molly said tiredly waving her wand and repairing the parchment. "This sort of thing ought to be cleared away promptly at the end of meetings," she snapped

Bill muttered "Evanesco!" And the parchment disappeared.

"Sit down Harry, Anna. You've met Mundungus, haven't you?" Sirius asked

A pile of rags snored and jerked up. "Some'n say m'name? I 'gree with Sirius"

Ginny and I laughed.

"The meeting's over, Dung. Harry and Anni's arrived." Sirius said as everyone sat down.

"Eh? Blimey, so 'ey 'av. Yeah... you all right, 'Arry? An'ka?" He said peering round

"Yeah," we both said

Dung pulled out a pipe and ignited it "Owe you a 'pology" he grunted

"For the last time, Mundungus, will you please not smoke that thing in the kitchen, especially not when we're about to eat!" Called Molly

"Ah. Right. Sorry, Molly." The smoke vanished into his pocket, the smell lingered.

"And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand." Molly called. I stood up to help "No, you two can stay where you are, you've had a long journey."

"What can I do, Molly?" Tonks asked bounding across the room.

Molly hesitated "Er - no, it's all right, Tonks, you have a rest too, you've done enough today."

"No, no I want to help!" Said Tonks knocking over a chair to help Ginny with the cutlery.

Soon knives were chopping meat and vegetables on their own accord.

"Seen old Figgy since?" Dung asked

"Don't called my mum 'old Figgy' " I growled

"No, we haven't seen anyone." Harry answered

"See, I wouldn't 'ave left but I 'ad a business opportunity - "

I jumped, it was only B brushing up my leg, she purred and jumped onto Sirius' lap and curled up.

"Had a good summer so far?" Sirius asked us.

"No, it's been lousy." Harry said

Sirius grinned "Don't know what your complaining about, myself."

"What?" Harry asked

"Personally, I would've welcomed a Dementor attack. A deadly struggle for my soul would have broken the monotony nicely. You think you've had it bad, at least you've been able to get out and about, stretch your legs, get into a few fights... I've been stuck inside for a month."

"How come?" Harry asked frowning.

"Because the Ministry of Magic's still after me, and Voldemort" I flinched "will know all about me being an animagus by now, Wormtail will have told him, so my big disguise is useless. There's not much I can do for the Order of the Phoenix... or so Dumbledore feels." At least Harry and I have someone else who is not happy with our headmaster on our side.

"At least you know what's been going on," I said

"Oh yeah. Listening to Snape's reports, having to take all his snide hints that he's out there risking his life while I'm on my backside here having a nice comfortable time... asking me how the cleaning's going - " Sirius continued

"What cleaning?" I asked

"Trying to make this place fit for human habitation. No one's lived here for ten years, not since my dear mother died, unless you count her old house-elf, and he's gone round the twist - hasn't cleaned anything in ages." He finished

"Sirius, this solid silver, mate?" Dung asked, examining a goblet.

"Yes," Sirius snorted "Finest fifteenth century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest."

"That'd come orf, though," muttered Dung

"Fred - George - NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Molly shrieked

We all dived under the table as a floating cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer, a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with a knife hurtled though the air toward us. The knife slipped off the board and pierced the table where my hand had just been.

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! THERE WAS NO NEED - I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS - JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO MAGIC NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!" Molly screamed

"We were just trying to save a bit of time!" Fred excused, hurrying over to me. "God, Anni, sorry - didn't mean to - are you okay?"

Harry and Sirius both glared at Fred while Dung was swearing after falling off his chair. B had run out of the room, probably to find Crookshanks.

"Boys your mother's right, your supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've come of age, you could've seriously hurt Anni - " Arthur said

"Yes! Anni doesn't over use her privilege! None of your brothers caused this sort of trouble! Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet! Charlie didn't charm everything he met! Percy - " Molly stopped dead, Arthur's face turned into stone.

"Let's eat," said Bill quickly

"It looks wonderful, Molly," Remus said passing her a plate

After a few awkward moments of silence Molly began "I've been meaning to tell you, Sirius, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a boggart. But I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out."

"Whatever you like," replied Sirius

"The curtains are full of Doxys, too. I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow." She added

"I look forward to it," commented Sirius sarcastically, but no one noticed except Harry and I.

Since the knife incident I sat between Harry and Sirius, furthest from Fred and George, and quite far away from Molly and Arthur opposite me was Hermione, opposite Harry was Tonks and opposite Sirius was Ginny.

Tonks kept transforming her nose between mouthfuls, making me choke on my food at the sight. It is probably a regular mealtime thing as Ginny requested "Do that one like a pig snout, Tonks"

Tonks obliged and I whispered in Harry's ear "Female Dudley!" He nodded grinning

Arthur, Bill and Remus were having an intense discussion about goblins.

"They're not giving anything away yet. I still can't work out whether or not they believe he's back. Course, they might prefer not to take sides at all. Keep out of it." Bill said

"I'm sure they'd never go over to You-Know-Who. They've suffered losses too; remember that goblin family he murdered last time, somewhere near Nottingham?" Arthur shook his head

"I think it depends on shalt they're offered and I'm not taking about gold. If they're offered the freedom's we've been denying them for centuries they're going to be tempted. Have you still not had any luck with Ragnok, Bill?" Remus asked

Bill started "He's feeling pretty anti-wizard at the moment, he hasn't stopped raging about the Bagman business, he reckons the Ministry did a cover-up those goblins never git their gold from him, you know - "

A gale of laughter from the middle of the table drowned the rest of Bill's words. Fred, George, Ron and Dung were all laughing like hyenas.

"...and then," choked Dung with tears rolling down his face "and then, if you'll believe it, 'e says to me, 'e says ' 'Ere, Dung, where didja get all those toads from? 'Cos some son of a Bludger's gone all mine!' And I says, 'Nicked all your toads, Will, what next? So you'll be wanting some more, then?' And if you'll believe me, lads, the gormless gargoyle buys all 'is own toads back orf me for a lot more'n what 'e paid in the first place - "

"I don't think we need to hear any more of your business dealing, thank you very much, Mundungus" Interrupted Molly

Ron fell onto the table howling with laughter.

Dung wiped his eyes and winked at Harry "Bed pardon, Molly but, you knew, Will nicked 'em orf Warty Harris in the first place so I wasn't really doing nothing wrong."

"I don't know where you learned about right and wrong, Mundungus, but you seemed to have missed a few crucial lessons." Said Molly coldly.

Fred and George had buried their faces in their goblet's of butterbeer, George was hiccoughing and Molly threw a nasty look at Sirius before getting to her feet and going to get a huge rhubarb crumble.

"I'm going to go stop the twins from drowning themselves." I laughed getting up, kissing Harry on the cheek and ruffling both of their heads.

I sag inbetween the twins and at once they sat up and tried to pull me onto their laps, luckily Molly arrived with the pudding and their struggle was forgotten. After a few serving of crumble later I felt full and sat down with Ginny who was rolling butterbeer corks at the cats.

"Nearly time for bed, I think," yawned Molly

"Not just yet, Molly." Sirius said ushering me over and he turned to Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you, Harry. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."

Everybody flinched at the name, Harry said "I did! I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so - "

"And they're quite right, you're too young!" Molly said sitting bolt upright in her chair, fists clenched in her arms.

Sirius retorted "Since when did someone have to be in the Order to ask questions? Harry and Anni have been trapped in Privet Drive for a month. They've got the right to know what's been happen - "

"Hang on!" George interrupted loudly

"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" Fred said angrily

"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" George said

Fred imitated Molly "You're too young, you're not in the Order. Harry's not even of age!"

Sirius argued "It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing that's your parent's decision. Harry, on the other hand - "

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for them! You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?" The expression on Molly's normally kind face had turned to rage.

"Which bit?" He asked with his teeth clenched together.

"The bit about not telling them more than they Need To Know," said Molly emphasising the last three words.

Sirius said "I don't intend to tell them more than they Need To Know, Molly, but as Harry was the one who saw Voldemort come back," There was a collective shudder "he has the right than most to - "

Molly stopped him "He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix! He's only fifteen and - "

"And has dealt with as much as most in the Order and more than some." Sirius said

"No one's denying what he's done!" Molly's voice was rising as her hands trembled. "But he's still - "

"He's not a child!"

"He's not an adult either! He's not James, Sirius!" Said Molly, her face going red

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly." Sirius said coldly

Molly said "I'm not sure you are! Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you've got your best friend back!"

Harry answered "What's wrong with that?"

Molly stayed staring at Sirius "What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him! You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!"

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" Demanded Sirius

"Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and - "

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" Sirius said loudly

"Arthur! Arthur back me up!" Molly said

Arthur took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, nit looking at Molly and only when his glasses were back on his nose did he reply. "Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry and Anni will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that they are staying at Headquarters."

"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting them to ask whatever they like!" She argued

Molly turned as Remus spoke, hoping to get and ally. "Personally, I think it better that they get the facts - not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture - from us, rather than a garbled version from... others." I was sure Remus knew that Molly had not destroyed all of the Extendable Ears.

"Well," Molly said defeated "well...I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have his reasons for not wanting them to know too much, and speaking as someone who had both their best interests at heart - "

"They're not your children." Sirius said quietly

"They're as good as, who else have they got?" Molly said fiercely

"Harry's got me!"

"Yes, the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?"

Sirius started to rise from his chair. "And who's Anni got?" She added trembling.

"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about them. Sirius sit down." Remus intervened. Sirius obeyed. "I think they ought to be allowed a say in this, they're old enough to decide for themselves."

"I want to know what's been going on." Said Harry at once.

"Very well," Molly said with her voice cracking

"Wait - Molly is right, she is the only thing I have as a Mum, sorry Harry, Sirius, - I am going to bed." I said, I kissed Harry on the cheek, hugged Sirius, Arthur and Tonks, shook Bill and Dung's hands then gave Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and even Ron a hug before going up to Molly and hugging her tightly. I picked up B and walked to the door.

"Goodnight," I said before walking up the stairs.

I heard Molly sobbing and then shouted "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George - I want you all out of this kitchen, now." And a huge uproar after that. I walked up a flight of stairs and met a very grumpy house-elf.

"B, go play with Crookshanks." I said putting her down, I bent down.

"Hello, you must be Kreacher, I'm Anni." I held out a hand

"Mistress said you ares a little blood traitor and mistake. Kreacher should not talk to you." He said ignoring my hand

"But I am a pureblood, and your Mistress is my great aunt. So we are family, right?" I said pushing my hand closer

"Family? Kreacher belongs to his pureblood family. He is the Black household's elf." He said contemplating.

"My mum never married my dad, so I am a Prewett and a Black. So, it is nice to meet you Kreacher." I smiled and shook his hand. Then I stood up and walked to the next set of stairs. "Goodnight Kreacher."

"Little Mistress does not shout and order Kreacher around. She is a strange witch, she is. Goodnight little Mistress." He said confused

I smiled and went to the bedroom which Molly showed us.

My great aunt started screeching, soon enough Ginny came up in a mood.

"Everyone gets to stay except me! It's so unfair!" She said

"I came up by choice, but I think it's unfair if everyone who wants to know does except you. I have an idea..." I grinned.

She returned the gesture "Let's do it."

"Accio Extendable Ears!" I said as we tiptoed to the top of the stairs.

"One for you and one for me." I said passing her a fleshy string thing.

We dropped one end down and instantly heard.

"Are you kidding? Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!" I heard Bill say

Sirius said "Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned." I flinched, nearly dropping my Extendable Ear.

"So, what's the Order been doing?" Harry said

"Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort - " I flinched again " - can't carry out his plans," said Sirius

"How d'you know what his plans are?" Asked Harry quickly

"Dumbledore's got a shrewd idea and Dumbledore's shrewd ideas normally turn out to be accurate." Remus said

"So what does Dumbledore reckon he's planning?" asked Harry

Sirius answered "Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again. In the old days he had huge numbers at his command: witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great variety of Dark creatures. You heard him planning to recruit the giants; well, they'll be just one of the groups he's after. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen Death Eaters."

"So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?" Harry asked

"We're doing our best," said Remus

"How?"

Bill answered "Well, the main thing is to try and convince as many people as possible that You-Know-Who really has returned, to put them on their guard. It's proving tricky though."

"Why?"

Tonks said "Because of the Ministry's attitude, you saw Cornelius Fudge after You-Know-Who came back, Harry. Well, he hasn't shifted his position at all. He's absolutely refusing to believe it's happened."

"But why? Why's he so stupid? If Dumbledore - "

Arthur interrupted "Ah, well, you've put your finger on the problem. Dumbledore."

"Fudge is frightened of him, you see." Said Tonks

"Frightened of Dumbledore?" Harry asked

Arthur replied "Frightened of what he's up to. Fudge thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks Dumbledore wants to be Minister for Magic"

"But Dumbledore doesn't want - "

Arthur explained "Of course he doesn't, he's never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted him to take it when Millicent Bagnold retired. Fudge came to power instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support Dumbledore had, even though Dumbledore never applied for the job."

Remus carried on "Deep down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much cleverer than he is, a much more powerful wizard, and in the early days of his Ministry he was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice, but it seems he's becoming fond of power, and much more confident. He loves being Minister for Magic and he's managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Dumbledore's simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it."

"How can he think that? How can he think Dumbledore would just make it all up - that I'd make it all up?" Harry said in a temper.

"Because accepting that Voldemort's back" I flinched yet again at Sirius' words "would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years. Fudge just can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself Dumbledore's lying to destabilise him."

"You see the problem, while the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort" I flinched, why does Remus have to say his name? "It's hard to convince people he's back, especially as they really don't want to believe it in the first place. What's more, the Ministry's leaning on the Daily Prophet not to report any of what they're calling Dumbledore's rumour-mongering, so most of the wizarding community are completely unaware anything's happened, and that makes them easy targets for the Death Eaters if their using the Imperius curse,"

"But you're telling people, aren't you? You letting people know he's back?" Harry asked

"Well, as everyone thinks I'm a mad mass murderer and the Ministry's put a ten thousand Galleon price on my head, I can hardly stroll up the street and start handing out leaflets, can I?" Sirius joked

"And I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community. It's an occupational hazard of being a werewolf." Agreed Remus

"Tonks and Arthur would lose their jobs at the Ministry if they started shooting their mouths off and it's very important for us to have spies inside the Ministry, because you can bet Voldemort will have them." I flinched AGAIN at Sirius' comment.

Arthur said cheerfully "We've managed to convince a couple of people, though. Tonks here, for one - she's too young to have been in the Order of the Phoenix last time, and having Aurors on our side is a huge advantage - Kingsley Shacklebolt's been a real asset, too; he's in charge of the hunt for Sirius, so he's been feeding the Ministry false information that Sirius is in Tibet."

"But if none of you are putting the news out that Voldemort's back - " Harry began. I am never listening to one of these conversations again, that name is mentioned too much.

"Who said none of us are putting the news out? Why d'you think Dumbledore's in such trouble?" Sirius said

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked

"They're trying to discredit him, didn't you see the Daily Prophet last week? They reported that he'd been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards because he's getting old and losing his grip, but it's not true; he was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemort's return - " Remus said. STOP SAYING THAT NAME! " - They've demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot - that's the Wizard High Court - and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too."

"But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards," said Bill.

Arthur said "It's no laughing matter, if he carries on defying the Ministry like this he could end up in Azkaban, and the last thing we want is to have Dumbledore locked up. While You-Know-Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to he's going to go cautiously. If Dumbledore's out of the picture - well, You-Know-Who will have a clear field."

"But if Voldemort's - " SHUT UP HARRY! " - trying to recruit more Death Eaters it's bound to get out that he's came back, isn't it?" said Harry

"Voldemort - " SIRIUS! " - doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry. He tricks, jinxes and blackmails them. He's well-practiced at operating in secret. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in. He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quickly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment."

"What's he after apart from followers?" Harry asked

"Stuff he can only get by stealth," Remus said

"Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time." Sirius explained

"When he was powerful before?" asked Harry

"Yes."

"Like what kind of weapon? Something worse than the Avada Kedavra - ?"

"That's enough!" Molly said "I want you in bed, now. All of you."

"You can't boss us - " Fred began

"Watch me." She said "You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might just as well induct him into the Order straightaway."

"Why not? I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight." He argued

"No." Remus said

"The Order is comprised only of overage wizards. Wizards who have left school. There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you... I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough."

I pulled up my Extentable Ear.

"Let's go Ginny!" I said. We hurried to Hermione, Ginny and I's room and lay down.

**A/N I will try an update at least once a week, please comment!**


	6. Chapter 6

As we pretended to sleep Molly opened the door and ushered Hermione in.

"Goodnight dear," she said

"Goodnight Mrs Weasley," Hermione replied

As soon as the door shut and we heard the twins, Ron, Harry and Molly make their way upstairs we jumped up.

Hermione gasped, I smirked in return "You really thought we were asleep?" I asked

"Well, well... no, of course not." She admitted "Why did you leave anyway?"

"Other than I knew Ginny would get lonely, Molly would have stopped your conversation way too early with me there. Ginny would also spend a long time trying to get information out of you, so my genius idea made sure the conversation was long, answered questions and made sure Ginny heard it."

"Thanks," Ginny laughed

"So you heard it? How?" Hermione asked intrigued

I pulled out a fleshy string with an ear on the end and grinned.

"Anyway now Hermione's here," Ginny said as she walked up to the door and bolted it. I stared confused at Hermione

"Sometimes Kreacher likes to have early morning walks around the house." She explained

I nodded understanding that he may have some odd habits, prior to our meeting earlier.

CRACK!

Someone grabbed held of me close and B clung onto me.

CRACK!

I pushed them away and clung onto B. I toppled onto someone and then I realised who had done this.

"Fred!" I said

"OW!" Ron said, falling on top of him.

"You two just apparated us into their room!" I squealed

"What if we had splinched!" Hermione glared at George who had done the same to her, Ginny and Crookshanks.

I quickly stood up realising I was on top of Ron.

"Yeah, well, it's harder in the dark." George said "So, got there yet?"

"The weapon Sirius mentioned?" Harry said

"Let slip, more like." I said

"How did you know ab - ?" Ron started

Once again I pulled out the Extendable Ears.

"Hey!" George said swiping them back

"What d'you reckon it is?" Said Harry

"Could be anything." said Fred

"But there can't be anything worse than the Avada Kedavra curse, can there? What's worse than death?" Ron asked

"Maybe it's something that can kill loads of people at once," suggested George

"Maybe it's a particularly painful way of killing people," said Ron

"He's got the Cruciatus Curse for causing pain, he doesn't need anything more efficient than that." I said

"So who do think's got it now?" asked Ginny

"I hope it's on our side." said Ron

"If it is, Dumbledore's probably keeping it," said Fred

"Where? Hogwarts?" Ron said

"Bet it is! That's where he hid the Philosopher's Stone." George said

"A weapon's got to be a lot bigger than the Stone, though," said Ron

"Not necessarily," said Fred

"Yeah, size is not guarantee of power. Look at Ginny." George said as Ginny scowled

"What d'you mean?" Harry said

"You've never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey Hexes, have you?" I laughed

"Shhh! Listen!" Fred said

Footsteps were coming up the stairs.

"Mum," said George

"Take Ginny and Hermione!" I hissed at them. With two loud cracks they all disappeared, with Crookshanks and B.

I crawled into Harry's bed and hid. A floorboard outside the door creaked, and then we heard the footsteps go upstairs.

I got out and planted a kiss on Harry's lips.

"Goodnight." I whispered " 'Nite Ron," I added as I tiptoed out the door and back to my room. I said Goodnight to Ginny and Hermione and then fell asleep.

I fell out of bed as Fred crashed in loudly.

"Mum says to get up. Breakfast is in the kitchen and then go to the drawing room. There are loads of Doxys than we thought and there's a dead Puffskein nest under the sofa." He said helping me up.

We got dressed, came downstairs and ate some breakfast and then went to the drawing room.

I quickly ran back upstairs, grabbed a parcel, and ran downstairs again. I put the parcel down and made a note to get it later.

Molly passed us a cloth to put over our nose and mouth. George passed me a bottle of Doxycide.

As Harry came down I gave him a wink and Molly began.

"Cover your faces and take a spray. It's Doxycide. I've never seen an infestation this bad - what that house-elf's been doing for the last ten years - "

Hermione stopped her "Kreacher's really old, he probably couldn't manage - "

Sirius had walked holding a bag of dead rats "You'd be surprised what Kreacher can manage when he wants to, Hermione. I've just been feeding Buckbeak. I keep him upstairs in my mother's bedroom. Anyway... this writing desk..."

He dropped the bag in a chair and bent down to the shaking cabinet. "Well, Molly, I'm pretty sure this is a Boggart but perhaps we ought to let Mad-Eye have a shufti at it before we let it out - knowing my mother, it could be something much worse."

"Right you are, Sirius," said Molly. Neither had forgotten their arguement the night before.

A loud bell sounded from downstairs followed by screams and wails from the portrait.

"STAINS OF DISHONOUR, FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BLOOD TRAITORS, CHILDREN OF FILTH..."

"Close the door, please, Harry," Molly said

He took a long time to close the door and by the time he came back Molly had opened 'Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests'

"Right you lot, you need tobe careful,because Doxys bites and their teeth are poisonous. I've got a bottle of antidote here, but I'd rather nobody needed it. When I say the word, start spraying immediately. They'll come flying out at us, I expect, but it says on the sprays one good squirt will paralyse them. When they're immobilised,just throw them in this bucket." She stepped to the side of the curtains. They flew forward and I sprayed at the little, shiny, beetle wings and needle-sharp teeth. Their hairy, fairy bodies froze in midair and fell to the ground. I threw them into the bucket hastily.

"Fred, what are you doing? Spray that at once and throw it away." Molly said

"Right-o" he sprayed the Doxy and as Molly turned round he pocketed the beast.

"We want to experiment with Doxy venom for our Skiving Snackboxes," said George under his breath.

"What are Skiving Snackboxes?" I asked George.

"Range of sweets to make you ill. Not seriously ill, mind, just ill enough to get you out of a class when you feel like it. Fred and I have been developing them this summer. They're doubled ended, colour-coded chews. If you eat the orange half of the Puking Pastilles, you throw up. Moment you've been rushed out of the lesson for the Hospital Wing, you swallow the purple half - "

Fred interrupted " - which restores you to full fitness, enabling you to pursue the leisure activity of your own choice during an hour that would otherwise have been devoted to unprofitable boredom. That's what we're putting on the adverts, anyway. But they still need a bit of work. At the moment our testers are having a bit of trouble stopping themselves puking long enough to swallow the purple end."

"Testers?" I asked

Fred answered "Us. We take it in turns. George did the Fainting Fancies - we both tried the Nosebleed Nougat - "

"Mum thought we'd been dueling," George said

"Joke shop still on, then?" Harry said

"Well we haven't been able to get premises yet so we're running it as a mail-order service at the moment. We put advertisements in the Daily Prophet last week." Fred said

"All thanks to Harry, mate. But don't worry... Mum hasn't got a clue. She won't read the Daily Prophet any more, 'cause of it telling lies about you and Dumbledore." George explained

We grinned. De- Doxying the curtains took all morning at midday Molly settled on the armchair, jumped back up after realising that the bag of dead rats was there and proclaimed.

"I think we'll tackle those after lunch." She pointed to the cramped cabinets and shelves.

The doorbell rang and Molly scooted out with the bag of dead rats "Stay here, I'll bring up some sandwiches."

We all raced to the window and saw a messy man with many cauldrons.

"Hello Dung!" I said loudly though the window.

"Ah 'ello Ann," he replied

"Close the window dear!" Molly cried

"What's he brought all those cauldrons for?" Hermione asked as I shut the window

"Probably looking for a safe place to keep them. Isn't that what he was doing the night he was supposed to be tailing me? Picking up dodgy cauldrons?" Harry said

"Yeah, you're right! Blimey, mum won't like that... " Fred said "Mundungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley. Can hear properly... d'you reckon we can risk the Extendable Ears?"

George answered "Might be worth it, I could sneak upstairs and get a pair - "

The portrait was no longer screaming, Molly was.

"WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!"

"I love hearing mum shouting at someone else it makes such a nice change." Fred smiled

" - COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING STOLEN CAULDRONS INTO THE HOUSE - "

George shook his head "The idiots are letting her get into her stride. You've got to head her off early otherwise she builds up a head of steam and goes on for hours. And she's been wanting to have a go at Mundungus ever since he sneaked off when he was supposed to be following you, Harry - and there goes Sirius' mum again."

Molly's voice was lost in the shrieks and screams of the portraits. George shut the door but Kreacher slipped in.

"... smells like a drain and a criminal to boot, but she's no better, nasty old blood traitor with her brats messing up my mistress' house, oh, my poor mistress, if she knew, if she knew the scum they've let into her house, what would she say to old Kreacher, oh, the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves, poor old Kreacher, what can he do... "

"Hello, Kreacher," I said

"Kreacher did not see little mistress," he bowed "with her nasty, bratty friends." He added

"Sorry? Didn't catch the last bit." George said

"Those red headed brats, unnatural and evil beasts they are." He muttered

"... and there's the Mudblood, standing there as bold as brass, oh, if my mistress knew, oh, how she'd cry, and there's a new boy, Kreacher doesn't know his name. What is he doing here? Kreacher doesn't know... "

"This is Harry, Kreacher. Harry Potter." Hermione said

"The Mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend, if Kreacher's mistress saw him in such company, oh, what would she say - "

"Don't call her a Mudblood!" Ron and Ginny said

"Kreacher, I would really appreciate it if you do not call Hermione a Mudblood." I smiled sweetly

Hermione said "It doesn't matter, he's not in his right state, he doesn't know what he's - "

"Don't kid yourself, Hermione, he knows exactly what he's saying." Fred said eyeing the elf up.

Kreacher continued muttering

"Is it true? Is it Harry Potter? Kreacher can see the scar, it must be true, that's the boy who stopped the Dark Lord, Kreacher wonders how he did it - "

"Don't we all, Kreacher," said Fred

"What do you want, anyway?" asked George

"Kreacher is cleaning," he said quickly

"A likely story," said Sirius

"Don't be mean to Kreacher!" I said, I picked up the parcel off the floor. I went up to Sirius and gave him a hug. "Happy Birthday Sirius." I smiled

"I thought everyone had forgotten!" I was shocked, had no one remembered?

"Harry Potter! Did you forget your own Godfather's birthday?!" I said cornering him

"Sorry, Sirius, I didn't even know when it was!" He said

Sirius smiled and unwrapped the present.

"Anni! You shouldn't have!" He said amazed "A bottomless, weightless, mokeskin bag. Look, on the side! Ha! A dog's paw print. Very funny Anni!" He laughed

"Look inside," I teased

He pulled out some pieces of mirror. "Two way mirrors, four of them! Anni, you really shouldn't've," He reached out and pulled me into a hug.

"Since no one bothered, the bag can be from me, 'Mione, and Ginny, each mirror is from each of the boys. Okay?" I offered

Fred comprised "Nope, Ginny and Hermione can give you a mirror. George and I have many supplies."

"Accio Dungbombs!" George said

I opened the door and some Dungbombs flew into the room.

"Here is your present, Sirius." George said holding them out

"Thanks, guys, thank you Anni." He ended with another hug.

I whispered in his ear so no one else could hear. "I am related to you, even if the reason is mad. Uncle." I giggled

"Lunch!" Molly called. Everyone left the room except Sirius and Harry.

"Remus! Please tell me you got Sirius a birthday present!" I howled

"Yes, Anni, it is at the end of the table." He laughed

"I am the only other person who remembered! Fred and George gave him some Dungbombs last minute though." I explained

"It's Sirius' birthday?" Molly asked

"Yes!" I said "and no ones remembered!"

"Anni, I may not like him, but if it's important, you are off duties for the afternoon, you can bake a cake." She smiled

"Thanks Molly," I answered

"But after lunch, go and get the other two." She scooted

I followed their voices into the tapestry room. No. Oh no.

I burst in and looked at Harry.

"No." I turned to Sirius, he nodded "Harry, I know. I'm sorry. I couldn't." I tried to explain. I just ran out and up the stairs until I got to my room. I heard footsteps behind me and slammed the door.

I fell onto my bed and sobbed.

A few minutes later I heard Molly and Remus step into the room.

"Does Harry hate me?" I asked

"No, Anni, he is in shock. Everyone wants to know why, we haven't told them, but you will have to." Remus said

Molly sat down on my bed and rubbed my back. I sat up and cried into her.

"Dear, it won't make a difference. There is so much difference here that if someone was prejudice they would be out before you could say 'Lumos' " Molly comforted

"If Harry doesn't like you for something you cannot control he will have the entire Weasley clan on him, especially Fred and George." He laughed "Anyway, you need to come downstairs and bake the birthday boy a cake."

"Can I come down after everyone has finished lunch?" I asked

I could make out through my tears Molly nodding.

"See you in a bit, dear." She got up and left the room.

"By the way, Sirius showed me your present, it beats mine. I got him a photograph with us all in, to replace the portrait we just took down." He kissed me on the head, gave my arm a squeeze and followed Molly.

Ginny and Hermione had come up with lunch, I protested but they came in.

"You can't stop us coming into our own room." Ginny said

"We don't care why you're crying, but we want you to stop." Ginny said

"Now what did Harry do?" Hermione sighed

"Found out something," I mumbled into my pillow.

"Are you gonna tell us what it was." Ginny asked

"Not yet" I shook my head

"Okay," Hermione said

We sat and ate our food and fed the leftovers to B and Crookshanks. They joined the others to start on decontamination while I baked the best cake in history. It had three tall layer, covered in white icing. Paw prints made of more icing covered it and in the middle I wrote 'Happy Birthday Padfoot' in even more icing. Sirius declared it the best cake he had ever had. Remus took a picture of it, he said they need a lot of photographs to replace the portraits that will be taken down.

The next few days I spent trying to avoid Harry, which was hard as Molly set us all to decontaminate the drawing room, which took three days. Sirius chucked everything out and Kreacher collected most of it again. I persuaded Sirius to let Kreacher have the utility room as his den. That way he can fill it with junk - correction - treasures and when it is full that is how much he can keep.

Kreacher gave me a sincere smile at this gesture.

Everytime the doorbell rang my grandmother's portrait would screech and we would all try and listen to the visitor. Both Professor McGonagall and Snape came and went.

Tonks found ghoul in the toilet, Remus fixed the grandfather clock that spat bolts at passers-by and Ron was nearly strangled by a robe, Dung saved him from it though.

The days passed and I wished Harry would talk to me it got tenser and tenser as the hearing came closer and closer...

**A/N I am trying to upload at least once a week, please comment! Thank also to Grazielly who kept me motivated, with just one word.**


	7. Chapter 7

I was woken up by Molly shaking my shoulders and whispering "Anni, get up dear, you have to go with Arthur and Harry!"

I sat up quickly remembering that today is the day of Harry's hearing. I replied "Thanks Molly," and set to getting dressed in some jeans and a muggle top mum had bought for me.

I had to go to the Ministry to be a witness for the Dementor attack. I quickly ran downstairs, getting out of breath. Molly gave us a hug and whispered something in Harry's ear.

Arthur, Harry and I walked out the door and down the street.

"You don't normally walk to work, do you?" I asked Arthur

"No, I usually Apparate, but obviously you two can't, and I think it's best we arrive in a thoroughly non-magical fashion...makes a better impression, given what the discipline is for..." came his reply.

"Simply fabulous. Wonderfully ingenious." Arthur said as we got to the station.

"They're out of order," I said pointing to the sign

"Yes, but even so..." he mumbled

Harry bought the tickets from a tired guard as Arthur is not very good with muggle money. Five minutes later we boarded a train. Arthur anxiously checked the underground map at every stop.

"Four more stops... Three stops left now... Two stops to go..."

We got off the train in the heart of London and we were swept up an escalator in a tide of besuited mean and women carrying briefcases and such. Arthur was amazed as the ticket machine took his ticket – we appeared in a large street filled with traffic.

"Where are we?" Arthur said "Ah yes... this way. Sorry, but I never come by train and it all looks rather different from a Muggle perspective. As matter of fact, I've never even used the visitors' entrance before."

We walked to s smaller street containing shabby offices, a pub and an overflowing skip. I had expected a more... imposing location for the Ministry of Magic.

"Here we are, after you, Anni, Harry" he opened the telephone box.

I squished up against Harry, it was rather awkward. Arthur filed in after us.

"Mr Weasley, I think this might be out of order, too" Harry said concerned.

"No, no, I'm sure it's fine. Let's see... six... two... four... and another four... and another two." He dialled the phone.

A loud female voice sounded out "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

""Er..." Arthur held the mouthpiece to his ear "Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, here to escort Harry Potter, who has been asked to attend a disciplinary hearing, and Annika Figg, a witness to the event... "

"Thank you. Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes." came the voice, a click and rattle followed as three metal badges popped out of a chute.

I did as the voice requested and put on the badge which stated 'Annika Figg, Witness'

The voice continued "Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium"

The telephone box shuddered and we sank into the ground accompanied with a grinding noise as we went into the darkness.

As we came back into the light a minute later the voice sounded once more "The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day"

The door opened and Arthur stepped out, Harry followed and his mouth fell open. I giggled and shut it with my fingertips.

The long hall had polished wooden floors and a blue ceiling. Indented were golden symbols that moved around. The walls were the same dark wood as the floor but had many fireplaces along the edge. Every now and then a witch or wizard would floo out of one with a _whoosh_.

In the middle of the hall was a fountain and a group of larger-than-life-size golden statues in the middle of it. The central statue was a noble wizard pointing his wand upwards. Grouped around him was a pretty witch, centaur, goblin and house-elf.

"This way" Arthur said, so we followed. "Over here, Harry" Arthur said, as Harry had stopped at the fountain.

We walked up to the left of the golden gates where a bored wizard at the security desk.

Arthur gestured to Harry "I'm escorting visitors."

"Step over here," he said. The wizard waved a long, thin, golden rod up and down us. "Wand," he grunted. I passed him my wand, Harry did the same. The wizard put Harry's on a scale that vibrated, a strip of paper came out.

He turned to Harry "Eleven inches, phoenix-feather core, been in use four years. That correct?"

"Yes" said Harry

"I keep this" the wizard pocketed the strip of paper "and you get this back." He thrusted the wand at Harry.

He put mine on the vibrating scale and another slip came out.

"Eleven and three quarter inches, unicorn hair core, been in use four years. That correct?" I nodded "I keep this" He pocketed this slip as well "You get this back" I took my wand. We were about to walk away and then he said "Hang on... " looking at Harry's forehead and visitor badge.

"Thank you, Eric" Arthur said.

We walked through the golden gates and into a smaller hall beyond. We joined a crowd around one lift.

A man was holding a large cardboard box that made rasping noises.

"All right, Arthur?" he said

"What've you got there, Bob?" Arthur asked looking at the box.

"We're not sure. We thought it was a bog-standard chicken until it started breathing fire. Looks like a serious breach of the Ban on Experimental Breeding to me." He replied.

A lift descended in front of us and the grille slid back and we stepped in. Once again, awkwardly, Harry and I were pushed up against each other next to a wall.

I smiled and whispered "Good luck" I didn't want harry to hate me for my heritage, even if I did a bit.

The lift ascended and the voice for the telephone box sounded again. "Level Seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club and Ludicrous Patents Office."

A man with numerous broomsticks exited the lift making much more space. The lift went upwards.

"Level Six, Department of Magical Transportation, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparition Test Centre"

Four or five witches and wizards got out as several paper aeroplanes flapped in. Arthur muttered to us "Inter-Department memos. We used to use owls, but the mess was unbelievable... droppings all over the desks."

"Level Five, Department of International Magical Co-operation, incorporating the International Magical Trading Standards Body, the International Magical Office of Law and the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats."

Two memos zoomed out and some witches and wizards, but even more memos flew in. The lamps flickered as the memos flapped near the light.

"Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office and Pest Advisory Bureau."

"S'cuse" said the wizard carrying the chicken box; he left the lift with a flock of memos.

"Level Three, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, including the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, Obliviator Headquarters and Muggle-Worthy Excuses Committee"

Everyone had left the lift except Arthur, Harry and I, and this witch reading a very long parchment that trailed on the floor.

"Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services."

"This is us. My Office is on the other side of the floor." Arthur said stepping into a corridor filled with doors.

"Arthur, aren't we still underground?" I asked as we passed a window that streamed sunlight through.

"Yes, yes we are. Those are enchanted windows. Magical Maintenance decide what weather we'll get every day. We had two months of hurricanes last time they were angling for a pay rise... Just round here." Arthur answered

We turned a corner and walked through some heavy, oak doors. We emerged in a cluttered area divided into cubicles. It buzzed with talk and laughter, with memos zooming in and out like miniature rockets.

The nearest cubicle had a lopsided sign that said 'Auror Headquarters' the walls were covered with pictures of wanted wizards, family, Quidditch teams and Daily Prophet articles. A witch with an eye patch was talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Morning, Weasley. I've been wanting a word with you, have you got a second?" Kingsley said

"Yes, if it really is a second. I'm rather in a hurry." Harry opened his mouth, probably to say hello but Arthur stood on his foot.

We went to Kingsley's cubicle and on every wall were pictures of Sirius; newspaper cuttings, old photographs, even one from the Potters' wedding. The only space that wasn't covered in my uncle's face was a map with red pins dotted on it.

Kingsley passed Arthur a wad of parchment. "Here. I need as much information as possible on flying Muggle vehicles sighted in the last twelve months. We've received information that Black might still be using his old motorcycle."

Kingsley winked at Harry and I and whispered "Give him the magazine, he might find it interesting" then loudly he said "And don't take too long, Weasley, the delay on that firelegs report held our investigation up for a month."

"If you had read my report you would know that the term is 'firearms' and I'm afraid you'll have to wait for information on motorcycles; we're extremely busy at the moment." Arthur dropped his voice "If you can get away before seven, Molly's making meatballs."

Arthur beckoned us out of Kingsley's office and through some more doors. We arrived in a passage, turned left and carried on down another corridor, turned right into a dimly lit, shabby corridor and reached a door that bore a tarnished brass plaque that read 'Misuse of Muggle Artefacts'.

Arthur's office seemed smaller than a broom cupboard, two desks had been crammed inside and all over the walls were posters of cars, dismantled engines, postbox illustrations and a diagram on how to plug a wire. On one of the overflowing trays were a hiccoughing toaster and a pair of gloves twiddling their thumbs.

"We haven't got a window. We've asked, but they don't seem to think we need one. Have a seat, doesn't look as if Perkins is in yet." Arthur apologised.

Harry squeezed himself into the chair behind the other desk and I sat on a desk. Arthur rooted through the parchment Kingsley had given him.

"Ah" he grinned pulling out a Quibbler "yes... Yes, he's right, I'm sure Sirius will find that very amusing – oh, dear, what's this now?" he said as a memo zoomed through the door.

"'Third regurgitating public toilet reported in Bethnal Green, kindly investigate immediately' this is getting ridiculous..." Arthur read

"A regurgitating toilet?" Harry asked

"Anti-muggle pranksters. We had two last week, one in Wimbledon, one in Elephant and Castle. Muggles are pulling the flush and instead of everything disappearing – well, you can imagine. The poor things keep calling those – plumbles, I think they're called – you know the ones who mend pipes and things."

"Plumbers?" I asked

"Exactly, yes, but of course they're flummoxed. I only hope we can catch whoever's doing it."

"Will it be Aurors who catch them?" asked Harry

"Oh no, this is too trivial for Aurors, it'll be the ordinary Magical Law Enforcement Patrol – ah, this is Perkins"

A shy, old wizard with white fluffy hair panted into the room. "OH, Arthur! Thank goodness, I didn't know what to do for the best, whether to wait here for you or not. I've just sent an owl to your home but you've obviously missed it – an urgent message came ten minutes ago – " he puffed

"I know about the regurgitating toilet," said Arthur

"No, no, it's not the toilet, it's the Potter boy's hearing – they've changed the time and venue – it starts at eight o'clock now and it's in old Courtroom Ten – "

"Down in old – but they told me – Merlin's beard!" Arthur yelped "Quick, Harry, we should have been there five minutes ago!"

I kissed Harry and shoved him out the door; I saw them running down the corridor.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm Annika Figg, but call me Ann" I smiled and held out a hand to Perkins.

"Peter Perkins" He said after regaining his breath "So, why are you here?"

"I witnessed and fought in Harry's Dementor attack," I said

"Then why aren't you down in the courtroom getting a hearing?" he asked confused

"I'm allowed to use magic, I need to so I can help my mum." I explained

He nodded and I started to shift through Arthur's large in-tray. "I wouldn't if I were you, there are some very complicated stuff in there." He chuckled

I picked up the gloves and put them on Arthur's desk.

"Well, let's have a go at this. Stupefy!" I said, and the gloves stopped twiddling they're fingers. "Plica!" and the gloves folded themselves. I smirked at Peter, put the gloves on the out-tray and picked up the toaster.

After a few minutes of looking over the hiccoughing toaster I pointed my wand at it and said "Scourgify!" and it stopped hiccoughing.

"Do you want a job?" Peter asked astonished

A knock came at the door, Peter got up and Percy was standing there.

"HI Percy!" I said smiling.

"I have come to get you and bring you to Courtroom Ten Annika." He said.

I smiled, waved to Peter and walked out the door with Percy. We went through the Auror office, and into a lift. Percy pressed the number nine button.

"The Atrium" came the woman's cool voice.

"Well done with the promotion, Percy." I said

"Thank you, my family has not been very happy about it." He said

"Department of Mysteries" came the voice, the lift door opened and we walked along the bare corridor.

"I think being Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic is a big deal personally." I said

"Thank you, Annika" he replied as we reached the bottom of the steps into another corridor. Percy turned the door handle and we stepped inside the courtroom.

I saw Harry sigh with relief at me, and Dumbledore sent me a smile. Dumbledore stood up and gave me his chair, and then he conjured himself a second one.

"Full name?" Fudge said

"My real name, or the one my guardian has given me?" I enquired

"Both." Came the answer

"Okay, real name: Aries Black-Prewett, guardian name: Annika Esther Figg" I said

"And who exactly are you?" Fudge said in a bored voice.

"I am a resident of Privet Drive, Little Whinging" I said

"You are underage, who do you live with?" Madam Bones said

"My mum, well guardian"

"We have no record of another witch living in Little Whinging other than you and Mr Potter." she said quickly

"She is a Squib," I explained "you wouldn't have her registered, would you?"

"Very well, what's your story?" Fudge said

"Harry, Dudley - his cousin - and I were walking home through the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. It got very cold suddenly, and I couldn't see, it was very dark. I started to remember dreadful memories... I recognised the feeling, from third year when there were Dementors around school. Dudley ran, and Harry told me to protect him. I had to try a few times to produce the Patronus, but eventually I did... "

"What did they look like?" Madam Bones said.

"They were large, and glided a few inches off the floor. They wore these big black cloaks, and as they sucked in the air their breath rattled.. " I shuddered

"That's what you saw, is it?" Madam Bones said

I nodded "Very well, you may go." Fudge said.

I stood up, smiled at Harry and Dumbledore and walked back to the office.

Arthur and Peter were chatting away, Arthur looked very anxious.

"Anni! What happened, how'd it go?" He said, jumping up as I entered.

"I think Fudge is set on getting Harry expelled, but I tried my best." I said slowly.

"I was just telling Arthur about how you fixed the gloves, and the toaster." Peter said grinning

"Yes, well done, it would've taken me an entire day!" Arthur said

I shook my head and sat down on the floor.

"If you're bored then I am sure you could help me with some work," Arthur joked

I nodded and took a file off his in-tray.

"I was joking Anni!" He laughed

"Yeah but if you have less work then you can spend more time working with the Or - " I slapped a hand over my mouth looking at Peter "Spend more time at home," I smiled

I quickly set to editing the reports that Arthur had finished, and writing out his shorthand notes.

I went down to Auror office and took use of their drink machine. I got myself a butterbeer, and Peter and Arthur two teas.

Arthur was very happy with his tea as I told him that many muggles drink it.

After they had both finished their drinks I took the cups back to the Auror office, came back and squeeled at the time.

"Arthur! We need to go to Courtroom Ten, the hearing might end soon!" He told me to calm down - the worst thing to say to someone who is panicking.

I hurried him to finish and walked down the corridor, back through the Auror office, down a corridor, into the lift. The woman's voice saying 'The Atrium' and 'Department of Mysteries' soothed me, surprisingly. So we walked calmly down some more corridors, down the steps, down ANOTHER corridor and to the courtroom door. We stood there impatiently waiting for the hearing to end.

**A/N I know, very, very short chapter in comparison to my others. I didn't want it to seem like Anni is with Harry, all the time. Sorry. I have made some small changes to my first chapter so the story makes sense, and added a disclaimer. Thank you to all of my reviewers!**


	9. Chapter 9

After what seemed like hours Harry wrenched the door open, and nearly ran into Arthur.

"Dumbledore didn't say - " I began

"Cleared, of all charges!" He said

I beamed and hugged him tightly, as did Arthur.

I raved "Harry, that's wonderful! Well, of course, they couldn't have found you guilty, not on the evidence, but even so, I can't pretend I wasn't - "

The courtroom door had opened and the Wizengamot filed out.

Arthur pulled us out the way "Merlin's beard! You were tried by the full court?"

"I think so," said Harry.

A few of the wizards nodded as they passed, Madam Bones said "Morning, Arthur," but most averted their eyes, including a toad like woman, Fudge and Percy who left last. Arthur's lips tightened, but he gave no sign that he saw his third son.

"I'm going to take you back so you can tell the others the good news. I'll drop you off on the way to the toilet in Bethnal Green. Come on... " said Arthur.

"So, what will you have to do about the toilet?" Harry asked

"Oh, it's a simple enough anti-jinx, but it's not so much having to repair the damage, it's more the attitude behind the vandalism. Muggle-baiting might strike some wizards as funny, but it's an expression of something much deeper and nastier, and I for one - " Arthur stopped as we reached a corridor on the ninth level where Cornelius Fudge and Lucius Malfoy were talking.

"Well, well, well... Patronus Potter" said Malfoy "The Minister was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter. Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wriggle out of very tight holes... snakelike, in fact.

Arthur gripped Harry's shoulder. Harry retaliated "Yeah, yeah, I'm good at escaping"

"And Arthur Weasley too! What are you doing here, Arthur?"

"I work here" said Arthur curtly

"Not _here_, surely? I thought you were up on the second floor... don't you do something that involves sneaking muggle artefacts home and bewitching them?" Malfoy said

"No." Arthur snapped

"What are you doing _here_, anyway?" Harry asked Malfoy.

"I don't think private matters between myself and the Minister are any concerns of yours, Potter, really just because you are Dumbledore's favourite boy, you must not expect the same indulgence from the rest of us... shall we go up to your office, then, Minister?" Malfoy smoothed the front of his robes and I heard the clinking of coins.

"Certainly. This way, Lucius" said Fudge, turning his back on us. They strode off taking in low voices. We walked to the lift and waited, Arthur finally took his hand off Harry's shoulder.

"Why wasn't he waiting outside Fudge's office if they've got business to do together? What was he doing down here?" Harry burst out.

"Trying to sneak into the courtroom, if you ask me" Arthur answered, I nodded in agreement. "Trying to find out whether you'd been expelled or not. I'll leave a note for Dumbledore when I drop you off; he ought to know Malfoy's been talking to Fudge again."

"What private business have they got together, anyway?" I asked curious

"Gold, I expect. Malfoy's been giving generously to all sorts of things for years... gets him with the right people... then he can ask for favours... delay laws he doesn't want passed...oh, he's very well connected, Lucius Malfoy." Arthur said angrily.

The lift arrived, we walked in and Arthur waved away the memos irritably then pressed 'The Atrium' button.

"Arthur, if Fudge is meeting Death Eaters like Malfoy, if he's seeing them alone, how do we know they haven't put the Imperius Curse on him?"

"Don't think it has occurred to us, Anni, but Dumbledore thinks Fudge is acting of his own accord – which, as Dumbledore says, is not a lot of comfort. Best not talk about it anymore just now."

The lift doors slid open and we stepped out, Eric the watchwizard was still reading the Daily Prophet. We walked past the fountain and Harry turned around.

"Wait..." he said, he pulled his money bag out of his pocket and emptied the entire thing into the fountain. I laughed.

Ron punched the air "I knew it! You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you; there was no case against you, none at all." Hermione said with a hand on her forehead.

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," Harry said chuckling. I kissed him passionately - Ron wolf whistled at this – and then slapped Ron on the head.

Molly was wiping her face on her apron while Fred, George and Ginny did a sort of war dance, chanting "_He got off, he got off, he got off..._"

Arthur smiled but shouted "That's enough! Settle down! Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry – "

"What?" Sirius said

"_He got off, he got off, he got off..._"

Arthur continued "Be quiet, you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine; they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know."

"Absolutely, we'll tell him, don't worry." Sirius said

Arthur said "Well I better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner – "

"_He got off, he got off, he got off..._"

"That's enough – Fred – George – Ginny! Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate any breakfast." Molly said as Arthur left the kitchen.

Harry and Ron sat down; I sat with Hermione, telling her about the gloves and toaster.

Our conversation stopped as Harry slapped his hand to his forehead.

"What's up?" Hermione said alarmed

"Scar... but it's nothing... it happens all the time now... " He mumbled

None of the others had noticed anything, while eating and gloating over Harry's success, Fred, George and Ginny were still singing. Ron said happily "I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening, to celebrate with us, you know."

Molly set a huge roast chicken in front of Harry "I don't think he'll be able to Ron. He's really very busy at the moment."

"HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF..."

"SHUT UP!" Molly roared

Over the next few days I noticed Sirius getting moodier and spending more time in his mother's room with Buckbeak, Harry had felt the same and confided in Hermione while we were scrubbing out a mouldy cupboard.

"Don't you go feeling guilty!" was her response "You belong at Hogwarts and Sirius knows it. Personally, I think he's being selfish."

"That's a bit harsh Hermione _you_ wouldn't want to be stuck inside this house without any company." Ron said, I agreed. He flicked some mould off his finger.

"He'll have company. It's Headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix, isn't it? He just got his hopes up that Harry would be coming to live here with him." She argued.

"I don't think that's true, he just wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked him if I could." Harry said wringing out a cloth.

"He just didn't want to get his own hopes up even more, and he probably felt a bit guilty himself, because I think a part of him was really hoping you'd be expelled. Then you'd both be outcasts together."

"Come off it!" Harry, Ron and I said together.

Hermione shrugged "Suit yourselves. But I think Ron's mum's right and Sirius gets confused about whether you're you or your father, Harry"

"So you think he's touched in the head?" said Harry

"No, I just think he's been very lonely for a very long time." Hermione said

Molly entered the bedroom "Still not finished?" she said poking her head in the corridor

"I thought you might be here to tell us to have a break! D'you know how much mould we've got rid of since we arrived here?" Ron said bitterly.

"You were so keen to help the Order; you can do your bit by making Headquarters fit to live in." Molly said, I had to admire the sass...

"I feel like a house-elf," Ron mumbled as Molly left.

"Well, now you understand what dreadful lives they lead, perhaps you'll be a bit more active in S.P.E.W.! You know, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to show people exactly how horrible it is to clean all the time – we could do a sponsored scrub of Gryffindor common room, all proceeds to S.P.E.W., it would raise awareness as well as funds." Hermione rambled

"I'll sponsor you to shut up about _S.P.E.W._" muttered Ron quietly. I whacked him on the head while Hermione wasn't looking.

Living at the Headquarters of an anti-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named movement wasn't as interesting or exciting as expected. Members came and went regularly, some staying for meals and some only for whispers of conversation. Molly made sure we were all out of earshot, with or without Extendable Ears.

On the last days of the holidays Ginny and I were cleaning up cat hair when Hermione walked in carrying three envelopes.

"Finally! I'd thought they'd forgotten. The booklists always arrive much earlier than this!" Ginny and I took ours. Fifth years only have two new books.

"I wonder who set the Defensive Magical Theory book" I said to myself

"Why?" Hermione asked "Oh! It means Dumbledore's found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor!" I nodded

"Oh MY God! Hermione! I'm a Prefect!" I squealed

"Me too! This is great!" she replied

"I bet Harry is one too!" Ginny said

"Let's go check" I suggested as we went to the boys' room

"I like the Ravenclaw Prefect badge" Ginny said holding mine "Purple is much nicer than red and gold."

Hermione ran in saying "Did you – did you get - ? I knew it! Me too, Harry, me too!"

As we walked in Harry said "No. It's Ron, not me"

"It – what?" Ginny said

"Ron's prefect, not me." Harry said

"_Ron_? But... are you sure? I mean – " I said bewildered

"It says my name on the letter." Ron said defensively.

"I... I... well... wow! Well done, Ron! That's really – " Hermione said

"Unexpected" George said

"No, no it's not... Ron's done loads of... he's really..." Hermione blushed

Molly came in carrying a laundry basket "I heard the booklists have arrived. If you give them to me I'll take them over Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pyjamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing... what colour would you like?"

"Get him red and gold to match his badge" said George smirking

Molly absently rolled up a pair of socks and placed them on a pile. "Match his what?"

"His _badge_. His lovely new _Prefect's badge_." Fred said, his words took a while to penetrate Molly's thoughts.

"Hs... but... Ron, you're not...?" Ron held up the badge and Molly shrieked. "I don't believe it! I don't believe it! OH, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" George said, I ruffled his hair.

"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! OH, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh, _Ronnie_ – " Molly said smothering Ron in kisses and tightly hugging his neck.

Fred and George made retching noises that Molly didn't notice. Ginny, Harry, Hermione and I laughed.

Ron's face had turned crimson "Mum... don't... Mum, get a grip... " he muttered, pushing her away.

She let go "Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."

"W-what do you mean?" said Ron

"You've got to have a reward for this! How about a nice new set of dress robes?"

"We've already bought him some" said Fred sourly regretting their generosity.

"Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers – "

"Mum, can I have a new broom?" Ron asked hopefully.

Molly's face faltered.

"Not a really good one! Just – just a new one for a change..." Ron added

Molly hesitated and smiled "Of course you can... well; I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later... little Ronnie, a prefect! And don't forget to pack your trunks... a prefect... oh, I'm all of a dither!" She kissed Ron on the check and left.

Fred and George exchanged looks "You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" said Fred

"We could curtsy, if you like," said George

"Oh, shut up" Ron said scowling

"Or what? Going to give us detention?" said Fred

"I'd love to see him try" George sniggered

Hermione said "He could if you don't watch out!"

Fred and George burst out laughing, Ron muttered "Drop it, Hermione"

"We're going to have to watch our step, George, with these two on our case." Fred said fake trembling.

"Yeah, it looks like our law-breaking days are finally over," said George

"You wouldn't put us in detention, would you, Anni?" Fred asked, I shook my head and with two loud cracks the Disapparated.

Hermione looked at the ceiling, through which we could hear the twins roars of laughter "Those two! Don't pay attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous!"

"I doubt they are" I said

"They've always said prats become prefects... still, they've never had new brooms! I wish I could go with Mum and choose... she'll never be able to afford a Nimbus, but there's the new Cleansweep out, that'd be great... yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so she knows..." Ron dashed from the room.

Harry turned to his bed and picked up the pile of clean robes Molly had laid on it and crossed the room to his trunk.

Hermione asked "Harry?"

"Well done, Anni, Hermione, brilliant. Prefect. Great." He said heartily

"Thanks" I said

Hermione said "Thanks, erm – Harry – could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be really pleased – I mean _prefect_ is something they can understand."

"Yeah, no problem. Take her!" He leaned over his trunk, laid his robes on the bottom of it and pretended to be rummaging for something while Hermione crossed to the wardrobe and called down Hedwig. Hermione and Ginny had left, Harry straightened up and looked over at me.

He sank onto his bed and I laid down on top of him and gazed into his green eyes. No one had expected this to be fair.

"I love you Harry." I smiled

"I love you too, it doesn't matter who your parents are, I just felt sad that you didn't trust me enough to tell me." He said

"I am so sorry Harry Potter" I said, I kissed him strongly and gasped for air. Then I stood up. "I better go and pack, see you later"

"Bye Anni, and well done" I smiled at his comment.

I walked to my room, Hermione had packed and was posting her letter so Ginny and I had fun chucking clothes in each other's trunks, when Hermione arrived I quickly used a spell to tidy it all up and put it in our trunks neatly.

Molly came back for Diagon Alley at six o'clock, so we put our new books in the trunk and Ron came into our room to show off his new broom.

Downstairs she had set up a banner that said 'CONGRATULATIONS RON, ANNI AND HERMIONE NEW PREFECTS'

Dinner turned into a party as Remus, Tonks, Kingsley and Mad-Eye arrived. As I was talking to Hermione about classes Arthur gave a toast. "To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor Prefects, and to Anni, the new Ravenclaw Prefect!" Everyone drank, beamed and applauded.

"I was never a Prefect myself" said Tonks to Ginny, Harry, Hermione and I "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities"

"Like what?" said Ginny

"Like the ability to behave myself" laughed Tonks.

Ginny, Harry and I laughed at this, Hermione took a large swig of Butterbeer and choked.

"What about you, Sirius?" asked Harry while I whacked Hermione on the back.

Sirius laughed "No one would have made me a Prefect; I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends. I need scarcely say that I failed dismally." Remus said

Harry gave me a very unexpected light kiss on the lips at this remark and went to get some food.

Ron kept trying to tell me about his new broom, I played Ravenclaw's beater, but he droned on and on... Hermione was talking to Remus about rights of werewolves and house-elves and Molly and Bill were having their usual conversation about Bill's hair.

Molly asked Harry about Bill's hair, and I quickly butted in "I like your hair, Bill" He grinned and winked at me. Molly gave in. Harry had fled off somewhere so I left the room and went to the tapestry room, I sat down at the place where my name was, burnt away. A long branch connected my scorch mark with Gideon Prewett. It is much quieter out here, so quiet that I could hear sobbing...

I followed the noise to the drawing room I saw Molly sobbing and her wand shaking in her hand. Ron was dead on the floor. I gasped, wait, no... Ron is downstairs...

"The boggart..." I whispered "Molly..."

"R – r – riddikulus!" she said at Ron's body.

_Crack_. Ron's body turned into Bill's.

"R – riddikulus" she sobbed again.

_Crack._ Arthur was there instead.

"No! No... riddikulus! Riddikulus! _Riddikulus!_ RIDDIKULUS!"

_Crack._ Dead twins. _Crack. _Dead Percy. _Crack._ Dead Harry. _Crack._ Dead me...

"Molly, just get out of here! Let someone else – " I began, staring at my dead body.

"What's going on?" Remus said running into the room, followed by Sirius and Mad-Eye. Remus understood immediately. "_Riddikulus_!"

My body vanished into a floating silver orb. Remus waved his wand again and it vanished in a puff of smoke.

Molly broke down and cried "Oh - oh – oh!"

"Molly. Molly don't..." Remus said going over to her. "Molly, it was just a boggart. Just a stupid boggart..."

She cried into his shoulder "I see them d – d – dead all the time! All the t – t – time! I d – d – dream about it... D – d – don't tell Arthur. I d – d – don't want him to know... being silly..." Remus handed her a handkerchief "Anni, I'm so sorry. What must you think of me? Not even able to get rid of a Boggart..."

"Don't be stupid. I love you, you're my auntie" I said smiling. I don't care that I just told Mad-Eye about my family, I wouldn't care if I had told everyone on Earth that.

"I'm just s – s – so worried. Half the family's in the Order, it'll b – b – be a miracle if we all come through this... and P – P – Percy's not talking to us... what if something d – d – dreadful happens and we've never m – m – made it up with him? And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who's g – g – going to look after Ron and Ginny?"

Remus said "Molly, that's enough. This isn't like last time. The Order is better prepared, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to – " Molly and I squeaked "Oh, come on, it's about time you got used to hearing his name – look, I can't promise that no one's going to get hurt, nobody can promise that, but we're much better off than we were last time. You weren't in the Order then, you don't understand. Last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one..."

I thought about how Molly said my dad had died like a hero. I understood.

Sirius said "Don't worry about Percy. He'll come round. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open; once he does, the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them. And I'm not sure I'll be accepting their apology"

"As for who's going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died, what do you think we'd do, let them starve?" Remus said.

Molly smiled "Being silly"

Ten minutes later I went to bed. Molly wasn't being silly, not really. Last time my mother became a Death Eater... last time my father died. B crawled on top of me, her warm body making me fall asleep.

**A/N Did you like the surprise? Anni being in Ravenclaw? Trying to get chapters done in the holiday, very tiring. Please comment, though I am very thankful to the ones I have had. Wow, no more typing today, my hands are killing me XP**


	10. Chapter 10

I woke up early to help everyone get ready. Hermione, Ginny and I were all ready, and started to carry our trunks downstairs.

Fred and George - the idiots – decided to 'save time' and bewitch their trunks to come down. The result was that they had hurtled into Ginny and she started to fall down the stairs.

I quickly dropped my trunk and pulled out my wand, and then I set a levitation charm on her before she fell onto the next flight of stairs.

Molly patched her up as she had many bruises and a few cuts. Now both Molly and my great aunt were shouting at the top of their voices.

" – COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS – "

" – FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS – "

Hermione had picked up both her and my trunks and struggled downstairs, so I went upstairs to get B and Crookshanks, Hedwig had also return, so I gave her to Harry.

"Hedwig just came back. Are you ready yet?" I said

"Nearly, Is Ginny all right?" he asked

"Molly patched her up, but now Mad-Eye's complaining that we can't leave unless Strugis Podmore's here, otherwise the guard will be one short." I explained

"Guard? We have to go to King's Cross with a guard?" asked Harry

"_You_ have to go to King's Cross with a guard" Hermione corrected him as she came back up the stairs.

Irritably Harry said "Why? I thought Voldemort was supposed to be lying low, or are you telling me he's going to jump out from behind a dustbin to try and do me in?"

"I don't know, it's just what Mad-Eye says, but if we don't leave soon we're definitely going to miss the train..." Hermione said, looking at her watch.

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HRE NOW, PLEASE!" Molly bellowed. I gave Hermione Crookshanks and hurried downstairs with her. Harry followed with Hedwig and his trunk.

Walburga's portrait was howling, but the noise we were making would wake her, so no one bothered to close the curtains.

Harry, you're to come with me and Tonks" Molly said.

I kissed him on the cheek. "Look after yourself" I said over the screams.

" – MUDBLOOD! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT! – "

"Leave your Trunk and your owl, Alastor's going to deal with luggage... oh, for heaven's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said _no_!" Molly said as Sirius' animagus form clambered to Harry's side. "Oh honestly... Well, on your own head be it!"

Molly wrenched open the door and stepped outside, Harry and the dog followed her, and then the door slammed shut.

Arthur took Hermione, Ron and I a long way, but we walked quickly around the quiet September streets. As we got to King's Cross station Arthur went first, then Hermione, then me and lastly Ron.

"Hey Lee!" as he stepped onto the train.

"Hiya Anni!" he shouted back. We unloaded the luggage and took our belongings.

Tonks hugged us all, and Mad-Eye gave us a warning about writing letters. The whistle sounded and we hurried onto the train.

"Quick, quick, write... be good... if you've forgotten anything we'll send it on... on to the train, now, hurry..." Molly said. A black dog put his paw on Harry's shoulder, but it fell off as Molly pushed him on the train. For heaven's sake, act more like a dog, Sirius!"

"See you!" Harry shouted as the train began to move. We all waved as the figures began to shrink and Sirius bounded along beside the train.

"He shouldn't have come with us," Hermione worried

"Oh, lighten up" I said

"He hasn't seen daylight for months, poor bloke" Ron said

"Well, can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discuss with Lee. See you later," said Fred as the twins departed.

"Shall we go and find a compartment, then?" Harry asked

"Prefects are supposed to go to the Prefect's carriage and receive orders" Hermione said awkwardly

"! Don't think we need to stay there all throughout the journey," I said quickly

"Fine, I – I might see you later, then," said Harry

I kissed him on the cheek and went with Hermione, Ron stayed awkwardly and spoke to Harry for a few seconds. Ginny and Harry walked off.

We arrived at the carriage to find Professor McGonagall. Other than Hermione, Ron and I there were Anthony Goldstein, in Ravenclaw with me I guess. Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott were there for Hufflepuff and Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy for Slytherin.

It is a know fact Malfoy has a crush on me, and he likes to make it into a joke. I walked in and he instantly winked at me. I ignored him and sat next to Anthony.

"Hello Ann" He said

"Hey Ant," I laughed, we were friends, not close, but still.

The Head Girl spoke "Firstly, welcome back to your fifth year at Hogwarts. I am sure you all want to go and meet your friends, but that can wait. You have been chosen to be Prefects by your head of house. You will be allowed out after curfew to help enforce rules. Your job is to keep people behaving throughout the school. You can award and take points from students in your own house, and not from fellow Prefects." She turned to Malfoy,

The Head Boy continued "Prefect's have the privilege to use the Prefect's bathroom, the password this term is 'Nobilis'. You are going to show the first years from your house the way to their dormitories today. Over celebrations you will help decorate the castle. You also watch the younger students when bad weather keeps us indoors. Prefects have a better chance of becoming Head Boy and Girl as well."

The talk went on for about an hour, I didn't really listen, but Hermione was noting it all down in her head most likely. The I heard the words "You may now go and patrol the corridors"

Then I ran out to the end carriage, as I know Luna always sits there, I hadn't seen her in ages!

"Luna!" I shouted when I saw her. I hugged her tightly and her Quibbler fell onto the ground. "Sorry" I said picking it up. Then I noticed that Harry, Neville and Ginny were there too.

"Oh, Neville! How are you?" I said hugging him too. Then I sat next to Luna.

"Good, nice to see you Anni." He smiled nervously.

Ron came in saying "I'm starving" and grabbed a chocolate frog.

Hermione came in saying "Well, there are two fifth-year prefects from each house, boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's the Slytherin Prefect?" I shuddered

"Malfoy" said Harry

"Course" said Ron taking another Chocolate Frog.

"And that complete _cow_ Pansy Parkinson. How she got to be a Prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll..." Hermione huffed.

"Who are the Hufflepuff's?" Harry asked

"Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott" said Ron

"Anthony Goldstein is with me in Ravenclaw, not too bad." I said

"We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something..." Ron said

"You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!" Hermione said

"Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all," I said sarcastically

"So you're going to descend to his level?" Hermione asked

"No, I'm just going to make sure I get his mates before he gets mine," Ron said.

Hermione started "For heaven's sake, Ron – "

"I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing" Ron said, grunting like Goyle and miming to write "I... must... not... look... like... a... baboon's... backside..."

Everyone laughed, but Luna laughed loudly and hard. Hedwig woke up, Crookshanks jumped on the luggage rack hissing and B crawled underneath me legs. Her magazine slid onto the floor.

"That was _funny_!" She cried with laughter and gasped for breath.

She clutched her sides as we laughed at Ron's face "Are you taking the mickey?"uHu

"Baboon's... backside!" she clutched her ribs.

Harry asked "Can I have a look at this?" to Luna about her Quibbler.

He opened the magazine "Oh, Harry, that thing's great, Luna got me a subscription to it for my birthday." I said noticing his interest.

"Anything good in there?" Ron asked

"Of course not, The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that."

"Excuse me. My father's the editor" Luna said seriously

"I – oh, well... it's got some interesting... I mean, it's quite..." Hermione said ashamed

"I'll have it back, thank you" Luna said, taking the magazine

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had walked through the door.

"What?" said Harry passively

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you detention. You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments" Malfoy drawled

"Yeah, but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone," Harry commented

We all laughed but Malfoy's lip curled "Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?"

"Shut up, Malfoy" I said

"I seem to have touched a nerve. Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be _dogging_ your footsteps in case you step out of line" Malfoy smirked

"Get out!" I said, standing up

Sniggering Malfoy gave Harry a look and departed winking at me. Crabbe and Goyle lumbered along behind him. Hermione slammed the door behind him. Hermione, Harry, Ginny and I had all registered what Malfoy had said.

"Chuck us another Frog" said Ron, who had noticed nothing. We couldn't talk about with Neville and Luna here so Harry stared out the window. I talked with Luna and Ginny to catch up with her. Hermione sat there, not wanting to talk to 'Loony' Lovegood, she is great though. Crookshanks and B had curled up to keep warm. Ron, Neville and Harry talked about Quidditch, Ginny and I joined in on the conversation afterwards. As darkness fell Luna put away her Quibbler and Hermione suggested we all change.

Harry, Ron and Neville turned around as we changed, and vice versa. I followed Harry's voice in the dark and hugged his topless form.

Hermione, Ron and I put on our prefect badges and went to patrol the carriages towards the end. After telling the first years to folly Professor Grubbly-Plank we met Harry at the coaches.

"Where's Pig?" Ron asked as we got to him.

"That Luna girl was carrying him. Where d'you reckon – " Harry began

" – Hagrid is? I dunno, he'd better be OK... " Ron finished

I took B from Harry's full arms and Hermione came up "Malfoy was being absolutely foul to a first-year back there. I swear I'm going to report him, he's only had his badge three minutes and he's using it to bully people worse than ever... where's Crookshanks?"

"Ginny's got him, there she is..." Harry said as Ginny emerged from the crowd clutching the squirming cat.

"Thanks, come on, let's get a carriage before they all fill up..." she said

"I haven't got Pig yet!" Ron said, Hermione had gone to get a coach

"What _are_ those things, d'you reckon?" Harry asked Ron looking at the Thestrals; I giggled, and then silenced my laugh remembering why he could see them.

"What things?" Ron asked

"Those horse – "

Luna arrived holding Pig in his cage. "Here you are, he's a sweet little owl, isn't he?"

Ron replied "Er... yeah... he's alright. Well, come on then, let's get in... what were you saying Harry?"

Luna and I got into the carriage with Hermione, Ginny and Neville already there. Ron and Harry continued their conversation.

Luna picked up B and started to stroke her, which B appreciated hugely.

"Neville, what on earth is that?" I asked about the plant he was holding.

"A Mimbulus Mimbletonia" He answered happily

"Really? Aren't they rare?" I asked

"Yes, my great uncle Algie got it for me for my birthday." He explained

"Cool!" I said, Hermione looked impressed.

Harry and Ron got on the carriage.

"It's alright" said Luna, I turned to Harry

"You're not going mad or anything, we can both see them too." I assured

"Can you?" Harry said

"Oh, yeah" I said

"They've always pulled the carriages, don't worry, you're as sane as us." Luna said dreamily

"Luna and I have seen them since our first day here." I said sadly.

**A/N Please comment! Getting lots of chapters done over holidays!**


	11. Chapter 11

Nothing more was said about the Thestrals.

"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman? What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?" Ginny said

"I'll be quite glad if he has" said Luna

"Luna!" I said shocked "He's our friend!"

"He isn't a very good teacher, is he?" she said

"Yes, he is!" Harry, Ron, Ginny and I said.

Harry glared at Hermione "Erm... yes... he's very good."

"Well, we in Raveclaw think he's a bit of a joke," said Luna unfazed

"I don't!" I said

"You've got a rubbish sense of humour then," Ron snapped

The coaches kept moving onwards, the ground were in complete darkness, the castle loomed closer.

The coach grinded to a halt and we stepped out, I walked ahead with Luna as we are joining the Ravenclaws soon.

We sat down near my friends and dormates in Ravenclaw.

"Anni!" Padma screeched I went and hugged her, she was my best friend in Ravenclaw.

"Where are the others?" I said

"Anni!" came several more screech coming from Sue, Lisa, Morag and Mandy.

"Why didn't you come and see us on the train?" Mandy scowled

"She was off snogging Harry Potter, I bet" came a voice from Stephen.

"Ste! I was not snogging my boyfriend! Tell them Ant!" I defended

"Yeah, she's right, she was in the Prefect carriage." He smiled

"Who made you a prefect?" said Micheal

"Hey! Ant's one too!" I said

"We know, he kept showing it off," said Terry

"Sit down already!" Kevin said, we all sat down. Luna drifted off to sit with some Ravenclaw fourth years.

"Who's that?" Lisa said, looking at a toadlike woman in pink.

"She was at Harry's hearing!" I whispered

"I don't think anyone heard that, but you are explaining this to me later" Padma grinned

I nodded. Professor McGonagall put the sorting hat on a seat and it's mouth burst open and started to sing.

"_In times of old, when I was new,  
And Hogwarts barely started,  
The founders of our noble school  
Thought never to be parted._

United by a common goal,  
They had the selfsame yearning  
To make the world's best magic school  
And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach"  
The four good friends decided.  
And never did they dream that they  
Might some day be divided.

For were there such friends anywhere  
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?  
Unless it was the second pair  
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,

So how could it have gone so wrong?  
How could such friendships fail?  
Why, I was there, so I can tell  
The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those  
Whose ancestry's purest."  
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose  
Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those  
With brave deeds to their name."  
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot  
And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife  
When first they came to light.  
For each of the four founders had  
A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,  
For instance, Slytherin  
Took only pure-blood wizards  
Of great cunning just like him.

And only those of sharpest mind  
Were taught by Ravenclaw  
While the bravest and the boldest  
Went to daring Gryffindor

_Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest  
and taught them all she knew,  
Thus, the houses and their founders  
Maintained friendships firm and true._

So Hogwarts worked in harmony  
for several happy years,  
but then discord crept among us  
feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four  
had once held up our school  
now turned upon each other and  
divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school  
must meet an early end.  
what with dueling and with fighting  
and the clash of friend on friend.

And at last there came a morning  
when old Slytherin departed  
and though the fighting then died out  
he left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four  
were whittled down to three  
have the Houses been united  
as they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here  
and you all know the score:  
I sort you into Houses  
because that is what I'm for.

But this year I'll go further,  
listen closely to my song:  
though condemned I am to split you  
still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty  
and must quarter every year  
still I wonder whether sorting  
may not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,  
the warning history shows,  
for our Hogwarts is in danger  
from external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her  
or we'll crumble from within  
I have told you, I have warned you...  
let the Sorting now begin."

"Bit longer this year, more like advice" Sue said, I nodded in agreement.

The sorting began with "Abercrombie, Euan" into Gryffindor and ended with "Zeller, Rose" in Hufflepuff.

"To our newcomers, welcome! To our old hands – welcome back! There is a time for speechmaking, but this is not it. Tuck in!" Dumbledore said beaming with arms wide. The applause was loud as we got to our food.

"Do you think the hat has ever given advice before?" Padma said

"If you listened, then you know it wants the houses to be friends" Morag said obviously

"I can be friends with Gryffindors fine, but there is no chance I will be skipping round with Malfoy and Parkinson anytime soon." I laughed

"Yeah, but I'm sure Malfoy wants to do more with you than skip" Stephen said

"Yuck! Shut up Ste!" said Kevin "I am trying to eat!"

"What did everyone do over the holidays?" Michael asked

The conversation went on, I asked Morag if she had got her birthday present, she had and was very pleased – I got her a Weird Sister CD, being a pureblood she was quite amused with it.

"Oh! Ste!" I exclaimed

"What?" he said

"It's your birthday in a week!" I said shocked

"Yeah? And?" he said

"What do you want for your birthday?" I persisted

"I dunno" he shrugged

We ate and ate until Dumbledore stood up again "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students – and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too." I smirked across the Hufflepuff table at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door. We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

I unenthusiastically applauded the teachers. When will Hagrid get back?

Dumbledore continued "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the – "

He stopped as Professor Umbridge had stood up "_Hem, hem_" she coughed, wanting to make a speech. NO. Many students were smirking, she did not know how Hogwarts was run. Professor McGonagall's lips had tightened.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome" she said "_Hem, hem_. Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking up at me" I looked around, assured that no one looked happy.

Padma whispered "Her cardigan is ghastly!" I nodded, Morag and Mandy giggled.

"_Hem, hem_. The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

Professor Umbridge bowed to the teachers and Professor McGonagall exchanged a glance with Professor Sprout as Professor Umbridge went on.

"_Hem, hem_. Every Headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress' sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation..."

No one was listening to the speech other than the teachers and Hermione. I caught Harry's eye and smiled. Luna, further down the table had got out the Quibbler, Mandy and Morag were talking and Kevin and Terry were playing rock, paper, scissors. Malfoy winked at me several times and Anthony was polishing his prefect's badge. Lisa and Sue were listening and commenting on the speech, I listened to their conversation until Padma suggested I get Ste a book of riddles.

"...because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." She stopped and sat down.

I clapped so much, because it had ended.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge that was most illuminating. Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held..."

"He's right" Sue said

"It was illuminating" Lisa nodded

"Yeah, in all that waffling was one very clear statement" Sue said

"The Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts." Lisa ended

I looked over to Hermione, who had got the gist as well, she looked at me grimly.

Dumbledore dismissed us so Anthony and I walked out of the hall and started to call the Ravenclaw first years to us.

"Ravenclaw First Years! Over here, please!" I yelled

"Ravenclaw First Years!" Anthony copied "Over here! Please!"

Soon enough a group of first years that had been sorted into Ravenclaw gathered around.

"Is that all of you?" I asked a few looked round the group and nodded "Okay, follow us!" I called

Anthony and I chatted going up, until we realised this is there first time in the castle.

"Okay! You need to be careful in this castle!" I said as we walked "The stairs move around!" I said

A few of them thought I was joking "She isn't joking, in my first week I was late to nearly all of my lessons because I fell through a trick step." Anthony said.

"Yeah, I remember that!" I laughed

"Shut up! I am Anthony, and this is Anni. We are fifth year prefects." He said

"If you need any help then you can ask us." I said

"Watch out for the Poltergeist Peeves, he plays pranks on the first years a lot, and everyone else to be fair" Anthony reasoned.

We arrived at the door of Ravenclaw tower. "Other houses have passwords or codes, but we, being the clever house, have riddles.

I knocked on the door and the knocker said "You can only keep me once you give me to somebody. What am I?"

"If you don't get the answer then you have to wait for someone else to." Anthony said.

"Does anyone know the answer?" I asked, though I did.

A little boy put up his hand, I nodded "Your word"

"Okay, let's try it out, Your Word" The door swung open "Well done! Come on in everyone, this is your common room for the next seven years!"

"Luggage will have arrived in your room by now, boys this way and girls through the other door." Anthony said

"You cannot go in another genders dormitory, and please behave in your rooms!" I ended

I waited for one of the girls to join me, Padma, Lisa and Sue arrived and we went to our dorm.

"Ahhhh!" Mandy screamed as she ran though the door

"Another year at Hogwarts with all my besties!" Morag said, following her.

I laughed and hugged them both. We unpacked our trunks, B had already clambered onto my bed.

"Go sit with Kitty and Suki!" I said putting her next to Morag and Sue's cats.

"My parents didn't want Parvati and I to come back this year" Padma said sadly "They believe all that stuff in the Prophet."

"Padma, sorry about this, but your parents are gits." I said simply "I believe Harry, so does everyone I met this summer."

"If Dumbledore says that You-Know-Who is back, then I believe it." Lisa said

"If Anni says so, then it has to be true!" Mandy said

We laughed and joked until we fell asleep.

**A/N These characters are actually in the Harry Potter books, if you don't believe me then go to this address:**

** wiki/Category:Ravenclaws_Sorted_in_1991**

**Most of the birthdays in this story are made up. If you did not know that Ravenclaw Tower has riddles not passwords then you are not a true fan :P**

**Please comment, I try to answer everyone! WOW! OVER A THOUSAND VIEWS!**


	12. Chapter 12

We all woke up and went down to breakfast together quite quickly, being Ravenclaws. Only a few first years were early for breakfast.

As Harry came down Padma dared me to go up and snog him in the middle of the Great Hall, I stood up as he walked in, waved him over and walked up to him. Then I full on snogged him, he then gasped for breath. He thanked me and walked over to Gryffindor table.

Kevin and Stephen wolf whistled at my act so as I sat down my hand accidently whacked them round the head.

Professor Flitwick was walking along the side of the table with our timetables; I went and got some to pass out. Luckily I had grabbed a pile with all ours in so I handed Padma, Lisa, Sue, Mandy, Morag, Kevin, Stephen, Anthony, Michael and Terry theirs.

"Look at the timetable!" said Sue

I said "I've got History of Magic with Gryffindor, Potions with Hufflepuff, Study of Ancient Runes with Slytherin and Defence Against the Dark Arts with Hufflepuff"

Sue and Lisa squealed "We have the same timetable!"

"So do Kevin and I, what's the big deal?" Michael said

"Damn! I am stuck with you all year Terry!" Anthony joked.

Roger Davies came up to me "Anni, we have Quidditch practice on Thursday morning next week."

"Okay, thank you Roger" I said. "Come on, we need to get to History of Magic"

We went to the tower and got our books then to the History of Magic classroom.

"I swear, the only way those two pass this class is from copying our notes!" I laughed at Hermione as we took notes. In History of Magic it is a known fact only Ravenclaws listen to Professor Binns' droning and Hermione of course.

A foot and a half long essay on giant wars was the homework. When Professor Binns walked through his blackboard we left to go to next period. I had Potions next so I walked with them for a few minutes.

"Hello Harry!" said Cho who walked round the corner

"Hi" said Harry; I knew that he used to have a crush on her and that she had one on him now.

"Cho! Did Roger tell you when practice was?" I asked

"OH, yeah, thanks Anni. First Period, next Thursday, right?" she said

"Yeah, see you there" I smiled. "I need to go to Potions now. Bye guys!" I said kissing Harry on the cheek and walking towards the dungeons.

I joined Padma as we entered the classroom. We sat in the middle, on a table next to Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones, Hannah isn't so bad but Susan isn't the brightest person ever.

Professor Snape said "Settle down. Before we begin today's lesson, I think it appropriate to remind you next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of the class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your O.W.L., or suffer my... displeasure. After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me. I take only the best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying goodbye. But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell so, whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T., I advise you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students. Today we will be mixing a potion that come up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: if you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method – " the Professor flicked his wand " – are on the blackboard – " they appeared " – you will find everything you need – " he flicked his wand again " – in the store cupboard – " the cupboard doors opened " – you have an hour and a half... start."

This is a very hard potion. Padma and I went to get ingredients first then did the steps one by one.

A few of the ingredients were powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powdered porcupinequills, and powdered unicornhorn, this is an advanced potion. The directions for making the potion were very detailed. Ingredients need to be added in exact orders and specific amounts. The potion needs to be stirred 7 times, clockwise and anti-clockwise. Before I added the final ingredient, hellebore, the temperature of the flames had to be lowered; the potion must be allowed to simmer for seven minutes.

Anthony and I had obviously done the best, it looked like it was supposed to, Padma's had a couple of green sparks emitting from it now and again. I put my potion in a flask as he said to and labeled it.

Our homework was to write twelve inches of parchment of the properties of moonstone and its uses in potions. After an hour and a half of potions came lunch. I normally take food outside down to Hagrid's, but he isn't here so I don't know what to do.

I sat down with Padma and then Hermione came over saying that we were eating by the black lake.

"Bye Padma, see you in Ancient Runes!" I said

I followed Hermione outside with my food and we found Ron stuffing his face and Harry lying in the Sun. I whispered to Hermione and hid. She ran over to them and started going off on one.

"Guys! Guys! Anni... she... Susan spilt draught – of – of peace. Anni, Anni is..." she fake sobbed

"Hermione spit it out!" Harry said standing up, I took the chance and ran closer, undetected, and then I pounced on his back. "AHH!" he shouted.

Hermione started to laugh. Harry fell over, squishing me, but boy did he scream!

"Annika Figg!" he said loudly "How dare you!"

I chuckled and sat up "It was pretty funny though." He rolled his eyes at me.

We ate and talked, mostly about classes, the Umbridge woman and when Hagrid would be back.

I met up with Padma, Sue, Morag and Lisa and we went to get our Ancient Runes books. Anthony and Terry waited for us and we set of to Runes class.

Professor Babbling set us to learning the numbers in runes. "I want you all to pair up and learn the runes' names and symbols." Were her words.

Lisa and Sue paired up, Anthony and Terry paired up.

Crabbe and Goyle paired up, they only did this class because Malfoy did it. Nott and Zabini, Greengrass and Davis.

That left Malfoy, Padma, Morag and I. I told Padma and Morag that I could handle the git, so I joined him.

As soon as I sat down he winked and smirked at me.

"Hello Anni – " he began

"Don't call me Anni. Only my friends can call me Anni." I scowled

"Okay Annika." I opened my book "Look, I know you don't like me, and I have no chance of dating you – "

"Too right you don't." I said

"I would, at least, like to be your friend." I snorted "Or just civil acquaintance" he looked really sincere.

"Do you expect me to ignore all of the bullying you put my friends through or the fact that you and my boyfriend are arch enemies, Malfoy? Do you?" I said looking him in the eyes.

"No, I expect you to give me a second chance." He said coolly

"I want to know why you are so interested in me." I said

"I know that you are not a squib's child. I know that you are pureblood. Your closest friends may not, but I do. I have researched my family tree." He said

I tried to ignore him. "Shut it Malfoy."

"You are my cousin. I am more closely related to you than the weasel." His voice was angry and quiet.

"You can't date a cousin." I said

"You would be surprised what purebloods do to stay pure Annika" I shivered, he gripped my arm tightly "I will tell your friends, every last person in this castle, who your mother is."

"What do you want?" I asked pretending to read the rune numbers

"I want to be your friend, someone you can go to, and vice versa." Malfoy said

"You have to earn friendship; it is something your rich father cannot buy." I said coldly

"Be my friend, and I will never, never tell anyone of your heritage. I keep my word" said Malfoy

I remembered the riddle from earlier 'You can only keep me once you give me to somebody' "Your word?" I asked quietly.

"Yes."

I gulped "Okay," and his grip released.

"Thank you, Anni" he was silent throughout the lesson, as was I from that point. I memorised the rune symbols and names quietly, under my breath.

"Your homework is to learn these off by heart. You will be working with your partner all year." I squeaked at that. "Class is dismissed"

As class ended I quickly walked to DADA and sat down next to Padma.

"Well, good afternoon!" Umbridge said

I shakily muttered "Good afternoon"

"Tut, tut. That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon Professor Umbridge' one more time, please. Good afternoon class!"

"Good afternoon Professor Umbridge" we chanted.

"There, now, that wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please." She said 'sweetly'

I put my wand away and pulled out parchment, ink and a quill. Umbridge pulled out her own short wand and tapped the board.

'Defence Against the Dark Arts

A return to Basic Principles'

Appeared on the board in loopy writing.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it? The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please." She tapped the blackboard and the writing was replaced with 'Course Aims'.

1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.

2. Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.

3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

For a couple of minutes the room was filled with scratching quills on parchment.

"Has everybody got a copy of 'Defensive Magical Theory' by William Slinkhard?" Professor Umbridge said

A murmur of assent carried through the class.

"I'll think we'll try that again. When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge' or 'No, Professor Umbridge'. So has everyone got a copy of 'Defensive Magical Theory' by William Slinkhard?" she repeated

A chorus of "Yes, Professor Umbridge" rang through the classroom.

Umbridge said "Good. I should like you to turn to page five and read 'Chapter One, Basics for Beginners' there will be not need to talk."

I began to read, but couldn't concentrate on the words. Malfoy was blackmailing me to be his friend. It didn't take too long for me to notice Terry had his hand up. I nudged Padma and she looked and shrugged. I turned to him and he ignored me, fixated on Umbridge.

Anthony, Kevin and Michael had noticed him, then Stephen and Sue, then Lisa, followed by Mandy, and Morag. Hannah and Ernie, the prefects from Hufflepuff noticed, and then Leanne and Susan, lastly Justin, Megan and Wayne noticed.

Umbridge couldn't ignore it any longer. "Did you want to ask something about the chapter?"

"Not about the chapter, no," he said

"Well, we're reading just now. If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a concern about the course aims." Terry said

Umbridge raised her eyebrows "And your name is?"

"Terry Boot" he answered

"Well, Mr Boot, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully." She said in fake sweetness.

"I don't, there's nothing up there about _using_ defensive spells." He said bluntly

I turned my head to the board and read the course aims again, he is right.

Umbridge laughed "_Using_ defensive spells? Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Mr Boot. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to be using magic?" Morag asked

"Student's raise their hand when they wish to speak in my class, Miss – "

"MacDougal" she said raising her hand.

Umbridge smiled Padma and I raised our hands instantly.

"Yes, Miss?"

"Patil" she said

"You want to ask a question?" she said

"Yes, isn't the point of Defense Against the Dark Arts to practise defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry trained educational expert, Miss Patil?"

"No – "

Umbridge interrupted "Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new programme of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure risk-free way – "

"What is the use of that? If we are going to be attacked, it will not be in a – " Mandy started

"_Hand_! Miss?"

Mandy shoved her hand in the air "Brocklehurst." Many others had their hand up.

"And you name is?" Umbridge said

"Anthony Goldstein" he said

"Well, Mr Goldstein?"

"Well, it is like Mandy said, is it not? If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk free." He said

"I repeat, do you expect to be attacked during my classes?" she said irritated

"No, but – "

Umbridge said unconvincingly "I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed – not to mention" she laughed "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

I lost it "If you mean Professor Lupin, he was the best teacher we ever – " I shouted

"Hand! Miss?"

"Real or guardian?" I snarled at her, making her remember the hearing. My hand was straight up.

She stared at me for a second, "Your legal name."

"Annika Figg"

She startled at this "As I was saying Miss Figg – you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely you meet Dark attacks every other day – "

Hannah said "No we haven't we just – "

_"__Your hand is not up, Miss?"_

Hannah put her hand up and mumbled "Abbott"

"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you."

"Well, he turned out to be an escapee from Azkaban, didn't he?" said Justin "Mind you, we still learned loads."

_"__Your hand is not up, Mr?"_

"Finch-Fletchley"

"Now it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through you examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" she stared at Stephen.

"Stephen Cornfoot, is there not a practical part in our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.? Are we not supposed to show that we can actually do counter-curses?"

"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions."

"Without ever practising them before? Are you telling us the first time we will get to do the spells will be in our exams?" said Leanne

"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough – "

"And what good is theory in the real world?" Ernest said, hand in the air.

"This is school Mr Macmillan. Not the real world." She said

"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's out there, waiting for us?" Michael said

"There is nothing out there waiting Mr Corner, is it?"

"Oh yeah" said Wayne sarcastically

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" Umbridge asked pressuring us.

I snapped "Hmm, let's think... maybe..." I said sarcastically. I swallowed "_Voldemort_?"

Padma gasped, Mandy screeched, Morag fell onto Mandy. Umbridge did not flinch.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw Miss Figg" she said in the silence. "Now, let me make a few things quite plain." She stood up and leaned towards us on her desk "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead – "

"He was not dead, but yes, he has returned!"

"Miss-Patil-Miss-Figg-has-already-lost-your-house-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse. As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. _This is a lie._"

"It is NOT a lie!" said all the girls from my dorm.

"I repeat! _This is a lie!_ The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard. If you are still worried, by all means come and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page Five 'Basics for Beginners'."

Ernest stood up. "Ernie no!" Hannah said tugging him down.

"So according to you Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" he said shaking

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident." She said coldly

"It was murder." Megan said standing up.

I would not let them get all the blame. I stood up too "Voldemort killed him and you know it."

"Miss Bones, would you kindly go and get Professor McGonagall?"

Susan scuttled from the room, before the door closed Stephen shouted "LONE FIRST YEAR!" What a clever boy.

Peeves flew through the wall with a bucket of sludge, most likely from the lake. All the Ravenclaws pointed to Umbridge and Lisa said "She's new!" Peeves chucked the bucket at her and fled.

"ARGH!" came the toad's shriek.

Professor McGonagall ran in with Susan and saw a pink, green mess near the teacher's desk.

"Professor Umbridge, why don't you go to your chambers and clean up? Then we can discuss what happened." McGonagall smirked, Umbridge left the room. "Who was responsible for the sludge?"

"Peeves" I answered

"Who angered her?"

"Everyone but Susan, I think." I answered

"Accio biscuit tin" she said, a few seconds later a tin flew through the door, and she opened it and put it on the desk. "Anyone who wishes can have a biscuit, go ahead" Kevin and Stephen go one straight away.

"You need to be careful around Professor Umbridge. Did anyone listen to her speech at the start of term feast?" Professor McGonagall asked

Sue and Lisa nodded; most of us shook our heads.

"What did it mean Miss Turpin, Miss Li?" she asked

"The Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts" they said together.

"You would all do well to remember that. Class is dismissed." The Professor said sternly.

**A/N If you have any queries then please ask, please comment! **


	13. Chapter 13

Everyone seemed happy about Umbridge's unfortunate incident, though lots of people did not seem to agree with us that You-Know-Who was back and loud whispers swept over the Great Hall.

"He says he saw Cedric Diggory murdered..."

"Reckons he duelled with You-Know-Who..."

"Come off it..."

"Who does he think he's kidding?"

"Pur-_lease_..."

I saw Hermione stand up and Harry and Ron followed, so I copied them and said goodbye to Padma as I hurried out of the Great Hall after them.

I caught up with them and overheard Hermione "Look, you don't understand what is was like after it happened."

I jumped up behind them, Hermione gasped as I carried on her sentence "Harry, you arrived in the middle of the grass clutching Cedric's... dead body... none of us saw what happened in the maze... we just had Dumbledore's word for it that You-Know-Who had returned, killed Cedric and duelled you."

"Which is the truth!" Harry said loudly.

Hermione replied wearily "We know it is Harry, so will you _please_ stop biting our head's off. It's just that before the truth could sink in, everyone went home for the summer, where they spent two months reading about how you're a nutcase and Dumbledore's going senile."

Rain attacked the windowpanes in the empty corridors, this day had felt like an eternity, one glance through the window showed no light in Hagrid's hut. Hermione and Ron stepped into Gryffindor common room and I put my arms around Harry's shoulders and gave him a light kiss. Then I wandered off in the direction of Ravenclaw tower.

The door knocker said "I have 13 Galleons, 10 brooms, 2 wands and an phoenix. What am I?"

I thought about it for a second, and considered Dumbledore, but changed my mind and thought of a more logical answer.

"A liar." I suggested to the door knocker. The door swung open and I smiled as I walked into the common room.

"How can Professor Dumbledore let that woman _teach_ us, during our O.W.L. year too?" I heard Sue screech.

She went on a rant for a few minutes until I hear someone knocking at the common room door.

I walked over, yelled at Sue to shut up and renched the door open only to find two red heads looking frantic.

"What's happened?" I asked boredly.

"Hermione threatened to write to our mother!" George cried.

I laughed and Fred scowled at me "This is serious! If mum finds out that we are still trying with our joke shop she'll kill us!" he said.

"What happened?" I repeated.

"She wanted us to stop testing our sweets on first years." George shrugged.

"Stop doing what?!" I asked amused

"Testing sweets on first years." Fred said again.

"There was no harm done - " George said.

"We only wanted to see if - "

"They had the same effect on - "

"Other people." Fred finished.

"So you tested them in plain sight of Hermione?" I said.

"Yeah..." George admitted

"Probably not one of our best ideas..." Fred said.

"I'll talk to her." I said, they grinned and both leaned forward and each kissed the side of my face. "I don't promise anything!" I added as they skipped away.

**A/N I hope you appreciate the rest of this chapter as it has been redone four times as my computer keeps crashing. So pleeeaaasssseeee comment as the holidays have started and I can get chapters done easier (If my computer stops crashing)**

Tuesday was just as rainy and dull as Monday. Hagrid did not appear for breakfast once again and Hermione was not talking to Ron for some - probably rightly justified - reason. In both double Charms and double Transfiguration we had long talks about how important O.W.L.s were. I very nearly fell asleep during Charms, I do love the subject but the lecturing was very boring. Ste thought it would be a fantastic idea to charm some water above my head so I spent five minutes drying myself before setting foot into the Transfiguration classroom.

I have to say revising Summoning charms did not compare to learning Vanishing Spells, it gave me a challenge.

Harry and Ron spent another lunch hour in the library while Hermione joined Padma and I as we talked about how horrible Umbridge was. This was a very popular topic in school, unsurprisingly. I said goodbye to Hermione and Padma as I trudged onwards to Care of Magical Creatures. This lesson was also ruined, not by long O.W.L. talks or even Malfoy but because the lack of my favourite teacher rather depressed me.

The weather had become cool and breezy with an occasional drop of rain so Kev, Michael and Ste's laughing cheered me up as I got closer to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the forbidden forest. I completely ignored the Slytherins. Professor Grubbly-Plank taught us about Bowtruckles - a topic I had already learnt, so I easily earned 10 points to Ravenclaw.

As everyone picked a Bowtruckle I quietly asked the Professor where Hagrid was. It was worth a shot.

She responded "Never you mind." with which I walked over to Kev who had got me a Bowtruckle. I pulled out some parchment and tried to draw the fidgeting creature. Parkinson came over and commenced in talking loudly to Bulstrode about how Hagrid was an oaf.

My temper took hold of me as I cast a rotten log at her back. Kev saw this and grinned before zipping his lips and silently laughing.

"AHHH!" she screeched over-reacting. The log wasn't very heavy and was going really slowly. I'm surprised no one saw it.

The lesson ended and I saw Ginny and Luna pour out of the closest Greenhouse.

Ginny greeted me with a "Hi".

Luna however set off on one "Have you seen Harry? I really need to talk to him. In fact could you pass on a message? Yes, tell him that I believe He Who Must Not Be Named is back and that Harry fought and escaped him. Thanks Anni, bye." And with that she smiled, waved and hurried away.

Ernie Macmillian also approached as said loudly "I want him to know also, that it's not only weirdos who support you. I personally believe you one hundred per cent. My family have always stood firm behind Dumbledore, and so do I."

I stood there shocked for a bit until Michael pulled me to another greenhouse to Herbology. This lesson just brought us a different teacher, more Ravenclaws and Slytherins and another long talk about O.W.L.s.

I tiredly went back to Ravenclaw tower after a long day and then down to the Great Hall where I found Angelina ranting to Harry about Keeper try-outs. I was too tired to chase after Angelina to tell her to cool down so I let Terry drag me to Ravenclaw table. I saw Harry bolt off to Detention during dinner. I carried on eating slowly and then went with Sue and Li to the library to study.

I saw Harry and Ron scribbling down stuff on parchment during breakfast, which I assume was homework. Then later on I saw them in the library doing even more homework. To top it all of Angelina had found out that he couldn't make it to keeper try-outs and had another rant at him during dinner.

I had chosen to take advantage of my prefect badge and meet Harry after his detention tonight. I spent two hours amusing myself with reading letters from Simone, Philippe and Lark. I replied and went up to the Owlrey to post them. Soon enough I krept up on Harry as he made his way back to Gryffindor common room. He jumped and nearly fell through a step.

"What are you doing?" He hissed

"Meeting you!" I giggled quietly. I took his hand and he squeaked and pulled it away "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... pulled a muscle..." He said.

We walked until we nearly crashed into Ron who hid behind a statue. He was holding his Cleansweep Eleven.

"Ron?" Harry asked. "What are you doing?"

"Er - nothing. What are _you _doing?" He retorted

"Come one, you can tell me! What are you hiding here for?" Harry encouraged.

"I'm - I'm hiding from Fred and George, if you must know. They just went past with a bunch of first-years, I bet they're testing stuff on them again. I mean, they can't do it in the common room now, can they, not with Hermione there." He said quickly.

I raised my eyebrow and let Harry continue interrogating him "But what have you got your broom for, you haven't been flying, have you?"

"I - well - well, OK, I'll tell you, but don't laugh, all right?" Ron said turning red. "I - I thought I'd try out for Gryffindor Keeper now I've got a decent broom. There. Go on. Laugh."

I blinked. Harry said "I'm not laughing. It's a brilliant idea! It'd be really cool if you got on the team! I've never seen you play Keeper, are you good?"

Ron looked relieved "I'm not bad. Charlie, Fred and George always made me play Keep for them when they were training during the holidays."

"So you've been practising tonight?" I asked.

"Every evening since Tuesday... just on my own, though. I've been bewitching Quaffles to fly at me, but it hasn't been easy and I don't know how much it'll be. Fred and George are going to laugh when I turn up for try-outs. They haven't stopped taking the mickey out of me since I got made a Prefect." Ron said anxiously.

"I'll be there to cheer you on Ronald. Hermione and everyone else." I smiled.

"I wish I was going to be there." Harry said.

"Yeah, so do - Harry, what's that on the back of your hand?" Ron said grasping Harry's forearm.

"It's just a cut - it's nothing - it's - "

I saw the words 'I must not tell lies' carved into the back of his hand and turned my head away feeling sick.

I mumbled into my hand "I thought you said she was just giving you lines?" I choked through tears.

"That old hag!" Ron said revolted. "She's sick! Go to McGonagall, say something!"

I was still choking through my tears.

Harry said "No. I'm not giving her the satisfaction of knowing she's got to me."

"_Got to you?_ You can't let her get away with this!" Ron spat.

"I don't know how much power McGonagall's got over her." said Harry.

"Dumbledore, then, tell Dumbledore!" Ron urged.

"No."

"Why not?" I cried

"He's got enough on his mind." He said. It was unbelievable, Dumbledore would want to know about the mistreatment of his students.

"Well I reckon you should - " Ron began.

"Are you going to give me the password or will I have to stay awake all night waiting for you to finish your conversation?" The Fat Lady burst out.

I hugged Harry and Ron, I whispered into Ron's ear "Look after him." and then I ran all the way back to the common room sobbing. I was too hysterical to answer the riddle but I remember someone taking me to my dorm.

Eventually Friday came as slowly, sodden and sullen as the rest of the week.

Hagrid was still not here.

Today was Harry's final detention.

It had been the worst first week of term ever and I had not spoken a word to Harry since I found out about his hand.

As tryouts began I sat down with Hermione to watch. Well, she wasn't very interested in Quidditch and Keeping bore me so I summoned a book from my dorm about beauty spells.

I turned to the hair page and started to experiment. I think Hermione was rather shocked when she saw that my hair was straight, and orange.

"AH!" She screamed and fell off the bench.

"Hermione!" I cried helping her up.

"What have you done?" she screeched and tugged at my new hair. "It was black, and curly. Now it's... straight and... ginger."

"I'll change it back then." I shrugged, waved my wand and it went back to normal. "Oh! Look! I can make it different lengths as well!" I said pointing at the page and picking up my wand.

"No." Hermione said taking my wand. "Your hair is beautiful and long. Keep it that way."

I stuck out my tongue and placed my attention on the try outs. Everyone was on the ground. Angelina was picking Gryffindor's new Keeper.

We ran down to the pitch where Ron was being carried on the twins' shoulders.

"I'm Keeper! I'm Gryffindor's new Keeper!" he shouted ecstatically.

Hermione and I cheered loudly and we jumped up and down. Ron jumped down off their shoulders and we hugged him. I squeezed out of the hug and grabbed hold of the twins' hands and raced towards the school. I ran all the ways to the kitchens and greeted Dobby happily.

"Dobby, please can we have as many Butterbeers as it is possible to carry." I smiled.

"Of course Miss Anni" he replied. The house elves hurried around the kitchen straight away.

The twins and I were walking up the stairs carefully carrying a multitude of Butterbeers in our arms.

We got to Gryffindor tower and plonked them down onto a table. Then I waved my wand after muttering a spell and sprayed confetti everywhere. Fred got a bucket load of it on his head.

Hermione and the rest of Gryffindor Quidditch team clattered into the common room and took a Butterbeer. We sang songs and cheered and had one too many Butterbeers. The evening went on endlessly and I was dancing with George as Harry came in. I tried to greet him but Fred said it was his turn to dance and pulled me away. It was another ten minutes before I could wander over to him. I draped my arms around him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hello Parry Hotter" I said tipsily.

"I think you should go to bed," He laughed. His voice sounded different...

My eyes focussed and I found myself looking at Cormac McLaggen "Oops! Sorry!" I said and walked over to the real Harry giggling.

"Hello Anni" Hermione said. "Harry's just gone to finish his homework."

"Oh." I said sadly, he could've at least said hi to me. I could've even done his homework.

"Do you want to help me knit elf hats?" she said eagerly.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep as I can't keep my eyes open." I giggled. "Bye, bye."

I walked out of the common room and towards the common room.

"Are you okay?" said a voice. Malfoy emerged from the shadows.

"Nope." I giggled "My boyfriend's ignoring me and I think I'm gonna vomit... too much Butterbeer..."

Malfoy came over and picked me up bridal style. I flimsily batted his arm away.

"I accidently kissed Cormac McLaggen." I said confused

"Anni, I think you need to go to sleep." he chuckled.

"Your hair is really white." I giggled "I was ginger about an hour ago... bright orange... 'Mione said I was a weasel... Now I look like my mum... Draco... I don't like my mum."

He didn't say anything. I frowned "I don't like old Voldy and his dead eaters... they killed my Dad... Dolohov, Nott, Lestrange, Mulciber and Rosier... Draco why can I remember bad things... I don't want to..."

He stayed silent and we reached the door knocker.

"When you fall in me your as happy as could be, but you fall into depression when you lose me. What am I?"

"Love" I whispered. Malfoy placed me in the open doorway and I fell asleep as soon as I reached my bed.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N The Chapters have been mixed up so don't read any further!**

**I have had to redo chapter 13 and I need to redo chapter 14 as my computer crashed. I will try and complete it soon as I have the holidays now. I am very busy though and might not have any wifi for three weeks later on but I will try my best.**

**Please comment as I reply to every single one if you have an account and try to put it into my chapter if you don't - the second part it harder though!**

**My beta is sick of me and most of my mistakes and given up so bear with me. (It's okay she is my friend, I'm over-reacting!)**

**I am also sorry to people who have read my other book as it will be deleted soon as I cannot continue it without my notes - which I have lost...**

**I hope you all have a great summer holiday! I have to do GCSE coursework ),:**


	15. Chapter 15

A/N About the italics in the sorting hat song and underlines in the potions lesson, I have tried to change them six times and I don't know why it is happening, sorry!

Sue, Lisa and I walked down to the great hall, the rest had gone down. As I sat down Padma stuffed the Daily Prophet into my hands.

"Just read it!" She said distressed. "Out loud." She added so the rest of us could hear it.

"Ministry Seeks Educational Reform. Dolores Umbridge appointed First Ever High Inquisitor" I read

"High Inquisitor?" Anthony asked

I continued "In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 'The Minister for Magic has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time' said Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.'

This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as 30 August Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.

'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success - "

Everyone around who was listening snorted or commented on the lie.

I went on " - totally revolutionising the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.' It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalised with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the falling standards at Hogwarts', said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.' The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.' Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half-giant Rubeus Hagrid and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

Rumours abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is not longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts. 'I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence' said a Ministry insider last night. Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.

'Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office', said Madam Marchbanks. 'This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.' (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17)."

"Fudge got us stuck with that abomination!" Morag cried

"He passed an 'Educational Decree' and she was forced upon us!" Mandy said

"She has the power to inspect teachers?" Lisa asked

"That is... outrageous!" Kevin said

"I know..." I said "It's barbaric..." I remembered Harry's hand.

Stephen smiled "Umbridge will do a double take when she inspects Professor McGonagall."

I wrapped up the newspaper and handed it to Padma grinning.

"Well, we have a free period, what do you want to do?" I said

"Anni, if you get us in trouble before some disaster occurs with the famous Harry Potter you will have no excuse. Do not get me involved in whatever plan you are coming up with." Padma pretended to be stern.

"Fine! We'll go to the Library!" I said surrendering.

In the library Padma set to homework, which I had done. Anthony, Terry, Michael, Stephen and Kevin tried to leave, but Morag and Mandy protested that we should all go down to the Black Lake and catch up. I would much rather talk than do Padma's homework so we took up the offer.

We walked down to the lake in the sun and sat down.

"Oh look! The giant squid!" Morag squealed as tentacles emerged and submerged.

We laughed as she jumped up and down.

"What did you do over the holidays Anni?" Michael asked

"Nothing really, just basked in the sun, read the Daily Prophet, remembered to feed the cats," I laughed off the question, not wanting to have to explain the full extent of what I did.

"Kissed your boyfriend!" Mandy cried, I nodded - still laughing.

"Any contact from Phillipe, Apollo-Lark or Simone?" Morag asked jokingly.

Phillipe and Apollo-Lark (Lark or AL for short) are two boys from Durmstrang that I made friends with, Simone is a girl from Beauxbatons.

"Nope, I had no contact throughout the entire holidays" I lied.

Our catch up went on until we stood up and got our bags and books. Then we went to potions with Hufflepuff.

Snape gave us back our moonstone essays, I received an Exceeds Expectations, as did most of the Ravenclaws.

"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L., this should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in the examination. The general standard of this homework was abysmal. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week's essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes."

He then set us to do a practical activity of making a strengthening solution.

Anthony, Sue and Lisa wanted to go through the essays and try to get better marks, I shoved it into my bag until next time I empty it.

"What are the O.W.L. marks anyway?" Lisa asked

"O, E, A, P, D, T" Luna said skipping over "Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, Acceptable, Poor, Dreadful, Troll,"

"Thanks Luna," I called as she passed

"She's an odd one that Luna" Kevin said, I slapped the top of his head.

"She is my friend." I saw Roger along the table, "back in a bit" I said standing up and going to him.

"Oh, hello Anni" he said

"Hi Roger, is practice at four or five?" I asked

"Four until Five" he said

"Thanks" I grinned and walked away.

After lunch I went to History of Magic, it was very dull. Umbridge hasn't showed up yet in any of my lessons, which is very good.

Professor Binns droned on, not noticing the class, I resolved to walking to the desk next to us and sitting on Harry's lap, it is surprisingly comfy.

In the second half of the lesson I went back to Hermione and I's desk, where she was still scribbling down notes. I pulled out some parchment and wrote:

'Dear Simone,

I hope all is well over in Beauxbatons, I miss you all.

Lots has happened, but it is too boring to write. A toad-like Ministry officer has been sent to 'inspect' the school and it's teachers.

Please do not believe the newspapers about Harry and Dumbledore, it is the right side to be on when You-Know-Who attacks.

Luna is fine, as are all your friends from Ravenclaw

Please write back soon,

Anni xxx'

I scanned it over, Simone's English is very good. Then I got another piece of parchment and dipped my quill in some more ink.

'Dear Phillipe,

Hogwarts is rather quiet without the thumping of walking sticks throughout the corridor, I hope that you are doing fine without your headmaster. I know that you all believe Harry and Dumbledore considering the circumstances but I must enforce the belief.

We miss you all, I hope you are still great friends with Krum. Tell him that I am sorry about his thump on the head. You two are inseparable.

Please write soon,

Anni xxx'

Harry had come over he whispered "What are you doing?"

"Writing letters to Simone, Phillipe and Lark" I answered

"Tell Phillipe to keep his poems of undying love to himself" said Harry

I giggled and kissed him. "Bye Harry," I said

He walked away and I started my last letter.

'Dear Lark,

Boy do we miss you, I hope the new headmaster is nicer to you.

I hope you are still on Harry and Dumbledore's side, it is the right one.

I remind you to tuck your shirt in and polish your shoes. Keep warm in your frozen mountains.

I still haven't received that fur coat yet. I hope that one day you can all visit again.

Hope you are all well, I am writing this in a very boring History of Magic lesson.

Please write back soon,

Anni xxx'

I put down my quill and stretched my aching hand. Hermione's was still going as fast as Binns would talk, which is quite slowly really. I put away my stuff, eager to get to the common room and change into my Quidditch uniform. I hadn't put it on since last term.

I had asked Hermione to come down and watch the match, she declined saying that she had homework to do, but I think she is hiding something from me.

I went to the common room with Michael and left him to put on my uniform, Michael is the other beater we have.

Roger said during practice that Cho, Michael and I are guaranteed a spot on the team.

Percival Bradley and Logan Chambers are the other chasers, and a very cocky girl called Helen Dawlish tried out for keeper, she was amazing and in her seventh year.

I asked her why she hadn't tried out before, her reply was "I have tried everything else and I'm good at it, I thought I would try Quidditch to prove that I'm perfect."

Practice went well, Cho dodged Michael and mine's Bludgers, as did Roger, Percival and Logan.

Logan stopped half way through the practice to flirt with me, so I sent a Bludger in his direction.

After practice Michael and I headed back to the common room. I picked up some toiletries and went to the Prefect's bathroom to soak for about half an hour.

I left, got changed and eventually got to my Astronomy lesson on time.

The week went on uneventfully until Tuesday the next week. Angelina started shouting at Harry in the middle of the Great Hall at breakfast. Harry hadn't told me that he had another week's detentions...

Ron informed me at lunch that he had gained yet another night's detention in Care of Magical Creatures...

I gave Hermione a large bowl of strained and pickled Murtlap tentacles to give to Harry after his detentions. I couldn't get hold of any Dittany.

At midnight I wondered to Gryffindor tower and asked a very tired fat lady to tell either Harry, Ron, or Hermione that I wanted to see them.

They let me in and I sat down, holding Harry's other hand.

"So where were we... yes, we have to do something about her," said Hermione

"I suggest poison" I said

"No... I mean, something about what a dreadful teacher she is, and how we're not going to learn any Defence from her at all." She continued

"Well, what can we do about that? 'S too late, isn't it? She's got the job, she's here to stay. Fudge'll make sure of that." Ron said yawning.

"Well, you know, I was thinking today... I was thinking that - maybe the time's come when we should just - just do it ourselves." Hermione said nervously.

"Do what ourselves?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Well - learn Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves." Hermione said

"Come off it, you want us to do extra work? D'you realise Harry and I are behind homework again and it's only the second week?" Ron said.

I picked up some of Harry and Ron's unfinished homework and set to work.

"But this is much more important than homework!" Hermione said.

I dropped the homework and stared at her, shocked.

"I didn't think there was anything in the universe more important than homework!" Ron said.

Hermione's face was alight, I thought that she would start talking about S.P.E.W. "Don't be silly, of course there is. It's about preparing ourselves, like Harry said in Umbridge's first lesson, for what's waiting for us out there. It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year - "

"We can't do much by ourselves Hermione," I said realistically.

Ron nodded "I mean, all right, we can go and look jinxes up in the library and try and practise them, I suppose - "

"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books. We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong." Hermione said logically.

"If you're talking about Lupin..." said Harry

"No, no, I'm not talking about Lupin. He's too busy with the Order and, anyway, the most we could see him is during Hogsmeade weekends and that's not nearly often enough." Hermione said

"Who then?" Harry frowned.

Hermione and I sighed, I had caught on.

"Isn't it obvious? 'Mione's talking about you, Harry." I said

There was a pause.

"About me what?" Harry asked

"I'm talking about you teaching us Defence Against the Dark Arts." Hermione said

Harry stared at her, then Ron to exchange exasperated looks, but Ron did not give them.

"That's an idea." He said

"What's an idea?" Harry asked

"You, teaching us to do it." Ron said

"But..." said Harry, he grinned like we were playing a prank "but I'm not a teacher, I can't - "

"Harry, you're the best in our year at Defence Against the Dark Arts." I sighed.

Harry grinned again "Me? No I'm not, you two've beaten me in every test - "

"Actually we haven't, you beat us in third year - the only year we sat the test and had a teacher who actually knows the subject. We aren't talking about test results, think about what you've done!" Hermione said

"How'd you mean?" He asked

"You know what, I'm not sure I want someone this stupid teaching me," I smirked at Ron.

Ron pulled a face like Goyle's "Let's think, uh... first year - you saved the Philosopher's stone from You-Know-Who."

Harry said "But that was luck, it wasn't skill - "

"Second year, you killed the Basilisk and destroyed Riddle," interrupted Ron.

Harry said "Yeah, but if Fawkes hadn't turned up, I - "

Ron spoke loudly "Third year, you fought off about a hundred Dementors at once - "

"You know that was a fluke, if the Time-Turner hadn't - "

Ron was almost shouting "Last year, you fought off You-Know-Who again - "

"Listen to me!" Harry shouted, Hermione, Ron and I were smirking. "Just listen to me, all right? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck - I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it, I just did whatever I could think of, and I nearly always help - " Harry stood up "Don't sit there grinning like you know better than I do, I was there, wasn't I? I know what went on, all right? And I didn't get through any of that because I was brilliant at Defence Against the Dark Arts, I got through it all because - because help came at the right time, or because I guessed right - but I just blundered through it all, I didn't have a clue what I was doing - STOP LAUGHING!"

The Murtlap essence fell to the floor and smashed, Crookshanks fled under a sofa and we stopped smiling.

"You don't know what it's like! You - none of you - you've never had to face him, have you? You think it's just memorising a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like your in class or something? The whole time you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own - your own brain or guts or whatever - like you can think straight when you know you're about a nanosecond from being murdered, or tortured, or watching your friends die - they've never taught us that in their classes, what's it like to deal with things like that - and you three sit there acting like I'm a clever little boy to be standing here, alive, like Diggory was stupid, like he messed up - you just don't get it, that could just have easily been me, it would have been if Voldemort hadn't needed me - "

I burst out "Harry Potter, how dare you, how dare you think that we thought that. We weren't having a go at Cedric, we never - you have the wrong end of the fuc- " Ron slapped a hand over my mouth. I looked at Hermione, urging her.

"Harry, don't you see? This... this is exactly why we need you... we need to know what it's r-really like... facing him... facing V-Voldemort." Hermione said timidly.

I think that was the first time she had ever said that name. Harry sat down.

"Well... think about it, please?" Hermione said.

Harry nodded and Hermione sat up.

"Well, I'm off to bed, erm... night." She said awkwardly.

Ron's hand loosed and I batted it away. I quickly muttered "Reparo" and the bowl pieces fixed together, then I walked over to Harry and slapped him on the head "One word for you Harry, Dickhead. You are a dickhead. Cedric was our friend." I walked out the portrait and back to Ravenclaw tower.

"I was wondering when you would come back." Malfoy said leaning on the common room door.

"What do you want, Draco?" I stressed his name.

"Just wanted to wish my love goodnight." He whispered in my ear.

I shoved him out the way and waited for the riddle.

"Six glasses are in a row. The first three are filled with milk and the last three are empty. By moving only one glass, can you arrange them so that the full and the empty glasses alternate?" The knocker asked.

Before I could answer Malfoy pushed me against the wall and kissed me, I tried to move but he held on. He got off me and licked his lips.

Then I punched him. Hard.

He fell to the floor, I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and walked to the door.

"Use the middle full cup and pour the milk into the middle empty cup." I said.

I heard him groan and I walked in through the door.


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione had not uttered a word about Harry giving Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons for two weeks. Harry's detentions were over. I worried about whether the scarring would be permanent...Ron had not been shouted at in his last two practices, Malfoy had not bothered me unless in Ancient Runes.

In Transfiguration we had all managed to vanish mice, and Hermione and Ravenclaw had moved onto kittens. In the library when we were looking up potion ingredients for Snape, Hermione said suddenly. "I was wondering, whether you'd thought any more about Defence Against the Dark Arts Harry."

"Course I have, can't forget it, can we, with that hag teaching us - " he replied grumpily.

"I meant the idea I had about you teaching us." She urged

Harry paused and looked at 'Asiatic Anti-Venoms' "Well" he said slowly "yeah, I - I've thought about it a bit."

"And?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"I dunno." He said

"I thought it was a good idea from the start." Ron said.

Harry shifted in his chair. "You did listen to what I said about it being a load of luck, didn't you?" He asked

Hermione said "Yes Harry, but all the same, there's no point pretending that you're not good at Defence Against the Dark Arts, because you are. You were the only person last year who could throw off the Imperius curse completely, you can produce a Patronous, you can do all sorts of stuff that full-grown wizards can't. Viktor always said - "

Ron turned round to Hermione "Yeah? What did Vicky say?"

I slapped Ron's arm and smiled at Hermione.

"He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in the final year at Durmstrang." She said.

"You're not still in contact with him, are you?" Ron asked

"Ronald Weasley! So what if she is. Just like I am in contact with Simone. Who you fancied. With Lark. Who is our friend and had billions in common with you. And Phillipe and Viktor. Who have graduated!" With each sentence I slapped him.

Hermione ignored my efforts "Well, what do you think? Will you teach us?" She asked Harry.

"Just you three, yeah?" He asked

"Well. Well... now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please... but I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about defending ourselves against V-Voldemort. Oh, don't be pathetic Ron." He flinched. I don't use the name, but I have stopped flinching.

"It doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people." She said.

"Yeah" said Harry "but I doubt anyone except you three would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Well, I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say. Look." She leaned to Harry, Ron and I leaned too "you know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?"

Ron said idiotically "Why do we have to do it outside school?"

"Because Umbridge wouldn't be very happy if she found out what we were up to." I said.

I had been looking forward to the Hogsmeade trip but Sirius hadn't had any contact with us since September, we had made him angry by saying that he shouldn't come but knowing Sirius he might throw caution to the wind. If a massive black dog came up to us - maybe with Malfoy there, then what are we going to do?

Harry had the same thoughts and told Ron.

"Well, you can't blame him for wanting to get out and about. I mean, he's been on the run for over two years, hasn't he, and I know that can't have been a laugh, but at least he was free, wasn't he? And now he's just shut up all the time with that ghastly elf." Hermione scowled at Ron.

"The trouble is until V-Voldemort - oh, for heaven's sake, Ron! - comes out into the open, Sirius is going to have to stay hidden, isn't he? I mean, the stupid Ministry isn't going to realise Sirius is innocent until they accept the fact that Dumbledore's been telling the truth about him all along. And once the fools start catching the real Death Eaters again, it'll be obvious Sirius isn't the one... I mean, he hasn't got the mark, for one thing." She said.

"I don't reckon he'd be stupid enough to turn up. Dumbledore'd go mad if he did and Sirius listens to Dumbledore even if he doesn't like what he hears." Ron said.

Hermione changed the subject "Listen, Ron, Anni and have been sounding out people who we thought might want to learn some proper Defence Against the Dark Arts, and there are a couple of people who seem interested. We've told them to meet us in Hogsmeade."

"Right," said Harry distantly.

"Don't worry Harry. You've got enough on your plate without Sirius." I said.

Harry had been barely keeping up with his homework, he had more time now he had no detentions. Ron was even further behind than Harry. Both had Quidditch practice and Ron had prefect duties. Hermione was taking more subjects than some of the Ravenclaws, and she had spare time to knit elf hats. It was now almost always possible to distinguish between hats and socks.

The morning of the Hogsmeade meeting was windy, I queued up into front of Filch with my permission slip.

"Why was Filch sniffing you?" I asked

"I suppose he was checking for the smell of Dungbombs." Harry laughed "I forgot to tell you..." Harry told the story of what he was doing the day Peeves chucked a bust at me. Hermione seemed very interested.

"He said he was tipped off you were ordering Dungbombs? But who tipped him off?" She asked

Harry shrugged "I dunno, maybe Malfoy, he'd think it was a laugh."

We turned onto the road to Hogsmeade, it was very windy.

"Malfoy, well... yes... maybe..." said Hermione.

We got to the outskirts of the town. "Where are we going anyway?" I asked

"Oh, well, not the Three Broomsticks, it's too packed and noisy. I told the others to meet us in the Hog's Head, that other pub, you know the one, it's not on the main road. I think it's a bit... you know... dodgy... but students don't normally go in there, so I don't think we'll be overheard." She said

We walked past Zonko's, I wasn't surprised to see Fred, George and Lee. Past the post office with owls flying in and out. We turned up a side street to a small inn with a battered sign with a picture of a severed wild boar's head. The sign creaked in the wind.

"Well, come on." Hermione said, Harry walked in.

It was not like the Three Broomsticks, the Hog's Head was small, dingy, dirty and smelt of goat. The windows were encrusted with grime so very little daylight permeate the room. It was lit with stubs of candles on rough wooden tables. The floor seemed to have a layer of filth on top of the stone.

There was a man with a bandaged head drinking a smoking, fiery substance through a slit near his mouth, two figures that looked like Dementors, but had thick Yorkshire accents and near the fireplace a witch with a black veil that fell to her toes.

I grumpy man with long grey hair and a beard sat in the corner, he looked familiar...

Harry and Hermione were talking so I ordered four Butterbeers, and paid eight sickles.

We sat at the furthest table, Ron looked at the bar "You know what? We could order anything we liked in here. I bet that bloke would sell us anything, he wouldn't care. I've always wanted to try Firewhisky - "

"You - are - a - prefect," snarled Hermione.

Ron's smile faded "Oh, yeah..."

"So who did you say is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked.

"Just a couple of people. I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is - oh, look, this might be them now." Hermione said. I knew she was lying, I invited more than two people, Kevin, Stephen, Mandy and Morag didn't want to come though.

The door opened and a crowd walked in. Neville, Dean and Lavender came in first. Padma and Parvati came in followed by Cho and Marietta. Luna walked in by herself, then Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, the Creevey brothers, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, Leanne, Susan Bones eventually Anthony, Michael and Terry came in I winked at them laughing. Sue and Lisa came in, then Ginny and Zacharias Smith. My wink was given back, but by the twins and Lee when they came in. A few more wandered in that I recognised from Gryffindor, Cormac McLaggen, Seamus Finnigan, Romilda Vane, Nigel Wolpert and Rionach O'Neal.

Harry reacted like I thought he would "A couple of people? A couple of people?"

"Yes, well the idea seemed very popular. Ron, do you want to pull up some more chairs?" Hermione said

The barman had frozen, this was possibly the most full he had ever seen the pub.

"Hi, could we have... thirty three Butterbeers, please?" Fred asked while counting everyone, except Harry, Ron, Hermione and I. The barman passed up many dusty Butterbeers from under the bar.

"Cheers, cough up everyone, I haven't got enough gold for all of these." George said handing them out.

The group took the Butterbeers and found some coins deep in their robes.

Harry whispered to Hermione and I urged everyone to sit down, Neville took a seat opposite us. Everyone settled down, some looked excited and others curious. The chatter died down and everyone looked at Harry.

"Er, well - er - hi." Hermione said in a high voice. "Well... erm... well, you know why you're here. Erm... well, Harry had the idea - I mean I had the idea - " Harry shot her a look " - that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defence Against the Dark Arts - and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us - " Hermione's voice became confident " - because nobody could call that Defence Against the Dark Arts - "

Anthony said "Hear, hear!" I giggled. Hermione looked heartened.

" - Well I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands. And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just in theory but doing real spells - " She continued.

"You want to pass your Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too, though, I bet?" Michael interrupted, I scowled at him and he returned a grin.

"Of course I do, but more than that, I want to be properly trained in defence because... because..." she took a breath and I sent her an encouraging look and squeezed her hand. "Because Lord Voldemort is back."

Marietta shrieked and split her Butterbeer down her front, Terry gave a twitch, Padma shuddered and Neville turned his yelp into a cough.

"Well... that's the plan, anyway. If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to -" said Hermione.

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" Zacharias asked aggressively.

"Well, Dumbledore believes it - " said Hermione.

"You mean, Dumbledore believes him." He said nodding at Harry.

"Who are you?" Ron asked rudely.

"He's Zacharias Smith." I said.

"And I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back." He said.

"Look, that's really not what this meeting was supposed to be about - " said Hermione.

"It's OK, Hermione." Harry said. "What makes me say You-Know-Who's back? I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you didn't believe him, you won't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone."

I mouthed 'You don't need to prove anything.' At Harry shaking my head.

Zacharias carried on. "All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You-Know-Who and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us details, he didn't tell us exactly how Diggory got murdered, I think we'd all like to know - "

"If you've come to hear exactly what it looks like when Voldemort murders someone I can't help you. I don't want to talk about Cedric Diggory, all right? So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out." Harry said angrily.

Harry cast a look at Hermione, she said in a high voice "So, so... like I was saying... if you want to learn some defence, the we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet and where we're going to - "

"Is it true? That you can produce a Patronus.?" Susan asked.

"Yeah." Harry said.

"A corporeal Patronus?" She asked.

I giggled at the question.

"Er - you don't know Madam Bones, do you?" Harry asked.

She smiled "She's my auntie. I'm Susan Bones. She told me about your hearing. So - is it really true? You make a stag Patronus, and that Anni can make one too?"

"Yes." We said at the same time.

"Blimey. I never knew that!" Lee said.

"Mum told Ron not to spread it around. She said you got enough attention as it was." Fred said grinning.

"She's not wrong." Harry said, I laughed.

"And did you kill a Basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office? That's what one of the portraits on the wall told me when I was there last year..." asked Terry.

"Yes, yes he did." I said.

Justin whistled, the Creevey brothers exchanged looks Lavender said "Wow!"

Neville said "And in our first year he saved that Philological Stone - "

"Philosopher's" hissed Hermione.

"Yes, that - from You-Know-Who." Neville said.

"And that's not to mention all the tasks he had to get through in the Triwizard Tournament last year - getting past dragons, merpeople and Acromantula and things..." said Cho smiling.

"Look." Everyone fell silent. Harry do not be modest. "I... I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be modest or anything, but..." Oh no. "I had a lot of help with all that stuff..."

"Not with the dragon, you didn't. That was a seriously cool bit of flying..." Michael said, I smiled at him.

"Yeah, well - " said Harry

"And nobody helped you two get rid of those Dementors this summer." Susan said.

"Anni did, I know I did bits of it without help, but the point I'm trying to make is - " said Harry.

"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" Zacharias said.

"Here's an idea, who don't you shut your mouth?" Ron said. I think the choice of words got to him.

"Well, we've all turned up to learn from him and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it." He said.

"That's not what he said" snarled Fred

"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" George said as he pulled out a long metal thing from a Zonko's bag.

"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this." Fred said.

"Yes, well, moving on..." I said.

"The point is, are we agreed we want to take lessons from Harry?" Hermione said.

Everyone murmured in agreement, except Zacharias.

Hermione looked relieved at something being settled "Right. Well, then, the next question is how often we do it. I don't really think there's any point in meeting less than once a week - "

"Hang on, we need to make sure this doesn't clash with our Quidditch practice." Angelina said

"No, nor with ours." I said nodding to Michael and Cho.

"Nor ours" added Zacharias.

"I'm sure we can find a time that suits everyone, but you know, this is rather important, we're talking about learning to defend ourselves against V-Voldemort's Death Eaters - " said Hermione.

Ernie interrupted "Well said! Personally, I think this is really important, possibly more important than our O.W.L.s coming up! I, personally, am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher on us at this critical period. Obviously they are in denial about the return of You-Know-Who, but to give us a teacher who is trying to actively prevent us from using defensive spells - "

Hermione took over the conversation again "We think the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts is that she's got some... some mad idea that Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a kind of private army. She thinks he'd mobilise us against the Ministry."

Luna piped up "Well, that makes sense. After all, Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army."

"What?" Harry said.

"Yes, he's got an army of Heliopaths." Luna said solemnly.

"No, he hasn't." Hermione snapped

"Yes, he has." Luna said.

"What are Heliopaths?" Neville asked.

Luna explained wide eyed. "They're spirits of fire, great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of - "

"They don't exist Neville" said Hermione.

"Oh yes they do!" She said.

"I'm sorry, but where's the proof of that?" Hermione snapped.

"There are plenty of eye-witness accounts. Just because you're so narrow minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you - "

"Hem, hem," Ginny imitated Umbridge then laughed "weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and have defence lessons?"

Hermione said quickly "Yes, yes, we were, you're right, Ginny."

"Well, once a week sounds cool," said Lee.

"As long as - " said Angelina.

Hermione stopped her "Yes, yes we know about the Quidditch. Well the other thing is where we're going to meet..."

The group fell silent "Library?" Katie asked

"I can't see Madam Pince being too chuffed with us doing jinxes in the Library." Harry said.

"Maybe an unused classroom?" Dean said.

"Yeah, McGonagall might let us have hers, she did when Harry was practising for the Triwizard." Ron said stupidly.

"McGonagall would let us with a homework or study group, this is a bit more rebellious Ron." I said.

"Right, well, we'll try to find somewhere. We'll send a message round to everybody when we've got the time and a place for the first meeting." Hermione said. She pulled out parchment from her bag "I - I think everyone here write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign up, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to."

Fred reached out and put his name on it. "Er... well... I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is." Zacharias said as George tried to hand him the paper.

"I - well we are prefects and if this list was found... well, I mean to say... you said yourself, if Umbridge finds out - " Ernie said.

"You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do this year." Harry said.

"I - yes, yes, I do believe that, it's just - "

"Ernie, do you really think Hermione'd leave that list lying around?" I asked.

"No. No, of course not. I - yes, of course I'll sign." He said.

Everybody slowly signed the parchment. "Well, time's ticking on. George, Lee and I have got items of a sensitive nature to purchase, we'll be seeing you all later." Fred said as the trio got to their feet.

The rest of the group took their leave. Marietta and Cho were last.

"Well, I think that went quite well." Hermione said cheerfully as we left the Hog's Head.

"That Zacharias bloke's a wart." Ron said.

"I don't like him much either, but he overheard me talking to Ernie and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and he seemed interested, so what could I say?" Hermione shrugged.

"But the more people the better really - I mean, I had to tell Michael that Ginny was going before he agreed to come, the lovebirds." I laughed.

"Lovebirds? What d'you mean?" Ron asked.

"Well Michael and Ginny are going out, aren't they?" I said

"He's WHAT? She's going out with - my sister's going - what d'you mean? Michael Corner?" Ron said

I said "Well they were interested in it when I told them, Michael was gonna stay behind with Stephen and Kevin before Ginny persuaded him - "

"When did this - when did she? - "

"They met at the Yule Ball and got together last year Ronald." I said

We passed the Quill Shop and Hermione and I stopped to look in the window.

"Hmm... I could do with a new quill." Hermione said, we walked into the shop.

"Which one was Michael Corner?" Ron demanded.

"Ronald, he has been my friend for five years! Black almost shoulder length hair, in the Ravenclaw Quidditch team as a beater with me?" I laughed.

"I didn't like him." Ron said

"Big surprise," I said under my breath so only Hermione could hear me, she giggled.

"But, I though Ginny fancied Harry!" He said.

"Ginny used to fancy Harry, she gave up when I started dating him." I shook my head at Ron.

Hermione chose a quill "I think I'll have this one..." she handed over fifteen sickles and two knuts over the counter.

As we left the shop Hermione said "Ron, this is exactly why Ginny hasn't told you she's seeing Michael, she knew you'd take it badly. So don't harp on about it, for heaven's sake."

"What d'you mean? Who's taking anything badly? I'm not going to harp on about anything..." muttered Ron.

I rolled my eyes and walked ahead with Hermione.

**A/N ****It motivates me if you comment!**


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